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PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^' 

Division       ^S"^  I   I 
Number   ~t~ 


THE    EXPOSITOR'S  BIBLE 


EDITED   BY  THE   REV. 


W.     ROBERTSON     NICOLL,     M.A.,     LL.D. 

E^ttor  of  "  The  Expositor" 


THE     BOOK     OF     NUMBERS 


ROBERT    A.    WATSON,    M.A.,    DT). 


NEW   YORK 

A.    C.    ARMSTRONG    AND    SON 

51    EAST    TENTH    STREET 

1894 


THE     EXPOSITOR'S     BIBLE. 

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Colossians. 

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THE    BOOK    OF    NUMBERS 


BY  THE    REV. 


ROBERT    A.    WATSON,    M.A.,    D.D. 

AUTHOR  OF 

GOSPELS   OF  YESTERDAY,"   "JUDGES   AND   RUTH,"   "THE   BOOK   OF  JOB, 

"  IN    THE  APOSTOLIC   AGE,"  ETC, 


NEW  YORK 

A.    C.    ARMSTRONG    AND    SON 
51    EAST    TENTH    STREET 

1894 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 
INTRODUCTORY  I 

II  . 

THE   CENSUS   AND   THE   CAMP 1 8 

1.  The  Mustering:  ch.  i.  1-46 

2.  The  Tribe  of  Levi :  ch.  i,  47-54 

3.  The  Camp  :  ch.  ii 

III 

PRIESTS   AND   LEVITES 29 

1.  The  Priesthood:  ch.  iii.  i-io 

2.  The  First-born  :  ch,  iii.  II-13,  40-51 

3.  Levitical  Service  :  chs.  iii.  14-39,  iv 

IV 

DEFILEMENT   AND   PURGATION 46 

1.  Exclusion  from  the  Camp :  ch.  v.  1-4 

2.  Atonement  for  Trespass  :  ch.  v.  5-10 

3.  The  Water  of  Jealousy  :  ch.  v.  11 -31 


NAZIRITISM  :     THE   BLESSING  OF  AARON  .  .  .  -59 

Ch.  vi 


CONTENTS 


VI 

PAGE 
SANCTUARY  AND   PASSOVER 73 

1.  The  Offerings  of  the  Princes  :  ch.  vii 

2.  The  Candelabrum  :  ch.  viii.  1-4 

3.  The  Passover:  ch.  ix.  1-14 

VII 

THE   CLOUD   AND   THE   MARCH 89 

1.  The  Guiding  Cloud  :  ch.  ix.  15-23 

2.  The  Silver  Trumpets  :  ch.  x.  I-IO 

3.  The  Order  of  March  :  ch.  x.  11-28 

VIII 

HOBAB   THE   KENITE I04 

Ch.  x.  29-36 

IX 

THE   STRAIN   OF   THE   DESERT   JOURNEY  .  .  .    II9 

Ch.  xi 


THE   JEALOUSY   OF    MIRIAM    AND    AARON  .  .  .    I36 

Ch.  xii 

,_.,.,  XI 

THE   SPIES   AND   THEIR   REPORT I5I 

Chs.  xiii.,  xiv.  i-io 

XII 

THE   DOOM    OF   THE   UNBELIEVING 167 

Ch.  xiv 

XIII 

OFFERINGS:     SABBATH-KEEPING:    DRESS  .  .  .  .179 

Ch.  XV 


CONTENTS  vii 


XIV 

PAGE 
KORAH,    DATHAN,    AND   ABIRAM 195 

Chs.  xvi.   xvii 

XV 

TITHES   AND   CLEANSINGS 212 

Chs.  xviii.,  xix 

1.  Duties  and  Support  of  the  Ministry 

2.  Water  of  Purification 

3.  Defilement  by  the  Dead 

XVI 

SORROW   AND   FAILURE   AT    KADESH 222 

Ch.  XX 

XVII 

THE  LAST   MARCH   AND  THE   FIRST  CAMPAIGN  .  .  .   243 

Ch.  xxi 

XVIII 

BALAAM   INVOKED 260 

Ch.  xxii.  I-I9 

XIX 

BALAAM    ON   THE   WAY 276 

Ch.  xxii.  20-38 

XX 

BALAAM'S   PARABLES 29O 

Chs.  xxii.  39-xxiv.  9 

XXI 

THE   MATTER   OF   BAAL-PEOR 309 

Chs.  xxiv.  lO^xxv.  18 


1 


CONTENTS 


XXII 

PAGE 
A   NEW   GENERATION 323 

Chs.  xxvi.,  xxvii 

XXIII 

OFFERINGS   AND    VOWS 343 

f.  The  Sacred  Year  :  chs.  xxviii.,  xxix 
2.  The  Law  of  Vows  :  ch.  xxx 

XXIV 

WAR   AND    SETTLEMENT 365 

1.  The  War  with  Midian  :  ch.  xxxi 

2.  Settlement :  ch.  xxxii 

XXV 

THE   WAY   AND   THE    LOT 382 

Chs.  xxxiii.,  xxxiv 

XXVI 

THE   CITIES   OF   REFUGE 396 

Chs.  XXXV.,  xxxvi 

INDEX ....   409 


INTRODUCTORY 

TO  summon  from  the  past  and  reproduce  with  any 
detail  the  story  of  Israel's  life  in  the  desert  is 
now  impossible.  The  outHnes  alone  remain,  severe, 
careless  of  almost  everything  that  does  not  bear 
on  religion.  Neither  from  Exodus  nor  from  Numbers 
can  we  gather  those  touches  that  would  enable  us  to 
reconstruct  the  incidents  of  a  single  day  as  it  passed  in 
the  camp  or  on  the  march.  The  tribes  move  from  one 
"  wilderness  "  to  another.  The  hardship  of  the  time  of 
wandering  appears  unrelieved,  for  throughout  the  his- 
tory the  doings  of  God,  not  the  achievements  or  suffer- 
ings of  the  people,  are  the  great  theme.  The  patriotism 
of  the  Book  of  Numbers  is  of  a  kind  that  reminds  us 
continually  of  the  prophecies.  Resentment  against  the 
distrustful  and  rebellious,  like  that  which  Amos,  Hosea, 
and  Jeremiah  express,  is  felt  in  almost  every  portion 
of  the  narrative.  At  the  same  time  the  difference 
between  Numbers  and  the  books  of  the  prophets  is 
wide  and  striking.  Here  the  style  is  simple,  often 
stern,  with  little  emotion,  scarcely  any  rhetoric.  The 
legislative  purpose  reacts  on  the  historical,  and  makes 
the  spirit  of  the  book  severe.  Seldom  does  the  writer 
allow  himself  respite  from  the  grave  task  of  present- 
ing Israel's  duties  and  delinquencies,  and  exalting  the 

I 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


majesty  of  God.  We  are  made  continually  to  feel  the 
burden  with  which  the  affairs  of  the  people  are  charged ; 
and  yet  the  book  is  no  poem  :  to  excite  sympathy  or  lead 
up  to  a  great  climax  does  not  come  within  the  design. 

Nevertheless,  so  far  as  a  book  of  incident  and  statute 
can  resemble  poetry,  there  is  a  parallel  between 
Numbers  and  a  form  of  literature  produced  under 
other  skies,  other  conditions — the  Greek  drama.  The 
same  is  true  of  Exodus  and  Deuteronomy  ;  but  Numbers 
will  be  found  especially  to  bear  out  the  comparison. 
The  Ukeness  may  be  traced  in  the  presentation  of  a 
main  idea,  the  relation  of  various  groups  of  persons 
carrying  out  or  opposing  that  main  idea,  and  the 
Puritanism  of  form  and  situation.  The  Book  of  Num- 
bers may  be  called  eternal  literature  more  fitly  than  the 
Iliad  and  uEneid  have  been  called  eternal  poems  ;  and 
the  keen  ethical  strain  and  high  religious  thought  make 
the  movement  tragical  throughout.  Moses  the  leader 
is  seen  with  his  helpers  and  opponents,  Aaron  and 
Miriam,  Joshua  and  Hobab,  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
Abiram,  Balak  and  Balaam.  He  is  brought  into 
extremity;  he  despairs  and  appeals  passionately  to 
Heaven ;  in  an  hour  of  pride  he  falls  into  sin  which 
brings  doom  upon  him.  The  people,  murmuring, 
craving,  suffering,  are  always  a  vague  multitude.  The 
tent,  the  cloud,  the  incense,  the  wars,  the  strain  of 
the  wilderness  journey,  the  hope  of  the  land  beyond — 
all  have  a  dim  solemnity.  The^  occupying  thought  is 
of  Jehovah's  purpose  and  the  revelation  of  His  cha- 
racter. Moses  is  the  prophet  of  this  Divine  mystery, 
stands  for  it  almost  alone,  urges  it  upon  Israel,  is  the 
means  of  impressing  it  by  judgments  and  victories,  by 
priestly  law  and  ceremony,  by  the  very  example  of  his 
own  failure  in  suddeji  trial.     With  a  graver  and  bolder 


INTRODUCTORY 


purpose  than  any  embodied  in  the  dramatic  master- 
pieces of  Greece,  the  story  of  Numbers  finds  its  place 
not  in  Hterature  only,  but  in  the  development  of  univer- 
sal religion,  and  breathes  that  Divine  inspiration  which 
belongs  to  the  Hebrew  and  to  him  alone  among  those 
who  speak  of  God  and  man. 

The  Divine  discipline  of  human  life  is  an  element  of 
the  theme,  but  in  contrast  to  the  Greek  dramas  the 
books  of  the  exodus  are  not  individualistic.  Moses  is 
great,  but  he  is  so  as  the  teacher  of  religion,  the  ser- 
vant of  Jehovah,  the  lawgiver  of  Israel.  Jehovah,  His 
religion.  His  law,  are  above  Moses.  The  personality 
of  the  leader  stands  clear  ;  yet  he  is  not  the  hero  of 
the  Book  of  Numbers.  The  purpose  of  the  history 
leaves  him,  when  he  has  done  his  work,  to  die  on 
Mount  Abarim,  and  presses  on,  that  Jehovah  may  be 
seen  as  a  man  of  war,  that  Israel  may  be  brought  to  its 
inheritance  and  begin  its  new  career.  The  voice  of 
men  in  the  Greek  tragedy  is,  as  Mr.  Ruskin  says,  '^  We 
trusted  in  the  gods ;  we  thought  that  wisdom  and 
courage  would  save  us.  Our  wisdom  and  courage 
deceive  us  to  our  death."  When  Moses  despairs,  that 
is  not  his  cry.  There  is  no  Fate  stronger  than  God ; 
and  He  looks  far  into  the  future  in  the  discipline  He 
appoints  to  men,  to  His  people  Israel.  The  remote, 
the  unfulfilled,  gleams  along  the  desert.  There  is  a 
light  from  the  pillar  of  fire  even  when  the  pestilence 
is  abroad,  and  the  graves  of  the  lustful  are  dug,  and  the 
camp  is  dissolved  in  tears  because  Aaron  is  dead, 
because  Moses  has  climbed  the  last  mountain  and  shall 
never  again  be  seen. 

In  respect  of  content,  one  point  shows  likeness 
between  the  Greek  drama  and  our  book — the  vague 
conception  of.  death.     It  is  not  an   extinction  of  life, 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


but  the  human  being  goes  on  into  an  existence  of 
which  there  is  no  definite  idea.  What  remains  has 
no  reckoning,  no  object.  The  recoil  of  the  Hebrew 
is  not  indeed  piteous,  and  fraught  with  horror,  like 
that  of  the  Greek,  although  death  is  the  last  punish- 
ment of  men  who  transgress.  For  Aaron  and  Moses, 
and  all  who  have  served  their  generation,  it  is  a  high 
and  venerated  Power  that  claims  them  when  the  hour 
of  departure  comes.  The  God  they  have  obeyed  in 
life  calls  them,  and  they  are  gathered  to  their  people. 
No  note  of  despair  is  heard  like  that  in  the  Iphigenia 
in  Aulis^ — 

"  He  raves  who  praj^s 
To  die.  'Tis  better  to  live  on  in  woe 
Than  to  die  nobly." 

Dying  as  well  as  living  men  are  with  God ;  and  this 
God  is  the  Lord  of  all.  Immense  is  the  difference 
between  the  Greek  who  trusts  or  dreads  many  powers 
above,  beneath,  and  the  Hebrew  realising  himself, 
however  dimly,  as  the  servant  of  Jehovah  the  holy, 
the  eternal.  This  great  idea,  seized  by  Moses,  in- 
troduced by  him  into  the  faith  of  his  people,  remained 
it  may  be  indefinite,  yet  always  present  to  the  thought 
of  Israel  with  many  implications  till  the  time  of  full 
revelation  came  with  Christ,  and  He  said  :  "  Now  that 
the  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  showed,  in  the  bush, 
when  he  called  the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the 
God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.  For  He  is  not 
the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living."  The  wide 
interval  between  a  people  whose  religion  contained  this 
thought,  in  whose  history  it  is  interwoven,  and  a  people 
whose  religion  was  polytheistic  and  natural  is  seen  in 
the  whole  strain  of  their  literature  and  life.  Even 
Plato  the  luminous  finds  it  impossible  to  overpass  the 


INTRODUCTORY 


shadows  of"  pagan  interpretations.  "  In  regard  to  the 
facts  of  a  future  life,  a  man,"  said  Phaedo,  "must  either 
learn  or  find  out  their  nature ;  or,  if  he  cannot  do  this, 
take  at  any  rate  the  best  and  least  assailable  of  human 
words,  and,  borne  on  this  as  on  a  raft,  perform  in 
peril  the  voyage  of  life,  unless  he  should  be  able  to 
accomplish  the  journey  with  less  risk  and  danger  on 
a  surer  vessel — some  word  Divine."  Now  Israel  had 
a  Divine  word  ;  and  life  was  not  perilous. 

The  problem  which  appears  again  and  again  in 
Moses'  relation  with  the  people  is  that  of  the  theocratic 
idea  as  against  the  grasping  at  immediate  success. 
At  various  points,  from  the  start  in  Egypt  onwards, 
the  opportunity  of  assuming  a  regal  position  comes  to 
Moses.  He  is  virtually  dictator,  and  he  might  be  king. 
But  a  rare  singleness  of  mind  keeps  him  true  to 
Jehovah's  lordship,  which  he  endeavours  to  stamp  on 
the  conscience  of  the  people  and  the  course  of  their 
development.  He  has  often  to  do  so  at  the  greatest 
risk  to  himself.  He  holds  back  the  people  in  what 
seems  the  hour  of  advance,  and  it  is  the  will  of 
Jehovah  by  which  they  are  detained.  The  Unseen 
King  is  their  Helper  and  equally  their  Rhadamanthine 
Judge  ;  and  on  Moses  falls  the  burden  of  forcing  that 
fact  upon  their  minds. 

Israel  could  never,  according  to  Moses'  idea,  become 
a  great  people  in  the  sense  in  which  the  nations  of 
the  world  were  great.  Amongst  them  greatness  was 
sought  in  despite  of  morality,  in  defiance  of  all  that 
Jehovah  commanded.  Israel  might  never  be  great  in 
wealth,  territory,  influence,  but  she  was  to  be  true. 
She  existed  for  Jehovah,  while  the  gods  of  other 
nations  existed  for  them,  had  no  part  to  play  without 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


them.  Jehovah  was  not  to  be  overborne  either  by  the 
will  or  the  needs  of  His  people.  He  was  the  self- 
existent  Lord.  The  Name  did  not  represent  a  super- 
natural assistance  which  could  be  secured  on  terms, 
or  by  any  authorised  person.  Moses  himself,  though 
he  entreated  Jehovah,  did  not  change  Him.  His  own 
desire  was  sometimes  thwarted ;  and  he  had  often  to 
give  the  oracle  with  sorrow  and  disappointment. 

Moses  is  not  the  priest  of  the  people  :  the  priesthood 
comes  in  as  a  ministering  body,  necessary  for  religious 
ends  and  ideas,  but  never  governing,  never  even  inter- 
preting. It  is  singular  from  this  point  of  view  that  the 
so-called  Priests'  Code  should  be  attributed  confidently 
to  a  caste  ambitious  of  ruling  or  practically  enthroned. 
Wellhausen  ridicules  the  "  fine "  distinction  between 
hierocracy  and  theocracy.  He  affirms  that  government 
of  God  is  the  same  thing  as  rule  of  priest ;  and  he  may 
affirm  this  because  he  thinks  so.  The  Book  of  Numbers, 
as  it  stands,  might  have  been  written  to  prove  that 
they  are  not  equivalent ;  and  Wellhausen  himself 
shows  that  they  are  not  by  more  than  one  of  his 
conclusions.  The  theocracy,  he  says,  is  in  its  nature 
intimately  allied  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  which 
is,  in  fact,  its  child  ;  and  on  the  whole  he  prefers  to 
speak  of  the  Jewish  Church  rather  than  the  theocracy. 
But  if  any  modern  religious  body  is  to  be  named  as  a 
child  of  the  Hebrew  theocracy^  it  must  not  be  one  in 
which  the  priest  intervenes  continually  between  faith 
and  God.  Wellhausen  says  again  that  ''  the  sacred 
constitution  of  Judaism  was  an  artificial  product"  as 
contrasted  with  the  broadly  human  indigenous  element, 
the  real  idea  of  man's  relation  to  God ;  and  when  a 
priesthood,  as  in  later  Judaism,  becomes  the  govern- 
ing  body,    God    is,    so    far,    dethroned.     Now    Moses 


INTRODUCTORY 


did  not  give  to  Aaron  greater  power  than  he  himself 
possessed,  and  his  own  power  is  constantly  repre- 
sented as  exercised  in  submission  to  Jehovah.  A 
theocracy  might  be  established  without  a  priesthood  ; 
in  fact,  the  mediation  of  the  prophet  approaches  the 
ideal  far  more  than  that  of  the  priest.  But  in  the 
beginnings  of  Israel  the  priesthood  was  required, 
received  a  subordinate  place  of  its  own,  to  which  it  was 
throughout  rigidly  confined.  As  for  priestly  govern- 
ment, that,  we  may  say,  has  no  support  anywhere  in 
the  Pentateuch. 

The  Book  of  Numbers,  called  also  '*  In  the  wilder- 
ness," opens  with  the  second  month  of  the  second  year 
after  the  exodus,  and  goes  on  to  the  arrival  of  the  tribes 
in  the  plains  of  Moab  by  the  Jordan.  As  a  whole  it 
may  be  said  to  carry  out  the  historical  and  religious 
ideas  of  Exodus  and  Leviticus  :  and  both  the  history 
and  the  legislation  flow  into  three  main  channels. 
They  go  to  establish  the  separateness  of  Israel  as  a 
people,  the  separateness  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  and  the 
priesthood,  and  the  separateness  and  authority  of 
Jehovah.  The  first  of  these  objects  is  served  by  the 
accounts  of  the  census,  of  the  redemption  of  the  first- 
born, the  laws  of  national  atonement  and  distinctive 
dress,  and  generally  the  Divine  discipline  of  Israel 
recorded  in  the  course  of  the  book.  The  second  line 
of  purpose  may  be  traced  in  the  careful  enumeration  of 
the  Levites ;  the  minute  allocation  of  duties  connected 
with  the  tabernacle  to  the  Gershonites,  the  Kohathites, 
and  the  Merarites ;  the  special  consecration  of  the 
Aaronic  priesthood ;  the  elaboration  of  ceremonials 
requiring  priestly  service  ;  and  various  striking  incidents, 
such  as  the  judgment  of  Korah  and  his  company,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


the  budding  of  Aaron's  almond  twig.  Lastly,  the  in- 
stitution of  some  cleansing  rites,  the  sin  offering  of 
chap.  xix.  for  example,  the  details  of  punishment  that 
fell  upon  offenders  against  the  law,  the  precautions 
enjoined  with  regard  to  the  ark  and  the  sanctuary, 
together  with  the  multiplication  of  sacrifices,  went  to 
emphasise  the  sanctity  of  worship  and  the  holiness  of 
the  unseen  King.  The  book  is  sacerdotal ;  it  is  marked 
even  more  by  a  physical  and  moral  Puritanism,  exceed- 
ingly stringent  at  many  points. 

The  whole  system  of  religious  observance  and 
priestly  ministration  set  forth  in  the  Mosaic  books  may 
seem  difficult  to  account  for,  not  indeed  as  a  national 
development,  but  as  a  moral  and  religious  gain.  We 
are  ready  to  ask  how  God  could  in  any  sense  have 
been  the  author  of  a  code  of  laws  imposing  so  many 
intricate  ceremonies,  which  required  a  whole  tribe  of 
Levites  and  priests  to  perform  them.  Where  was  the 
spiritual  use  that  justified  the  system,  as  necessary,  as 
wise,  as  Divine  ?  Inquiries  like  these  will  arise  in  the 
minds  of  believing  men,  and  sufficient  answer  must  be 
sought  for. 

In  the  following  way  the  religious  worth  and  there- 
fore the  inspiration  of  the  ceremonial  law  may  be  found. 
The  primitive  notion  that  Jehovah  was  the  exclusive 
property  of  Israel,  the  pledged  patron  of  the  nation, 
tended  to  impair  the  sense  of  His  moral  purity.  An 
ignorant  people  inclined  to  many  forms  of  immorality 
could  not  have  aright  conception  of  the  Divine  holiness  ; 
and  the  more  it  was  accepted  as  a  commonplace  of 
faith  that  Jehovah  knew  them  alone  of  all  the  families 
of  the  earth,  the  more  was  right  belief  towards  Him 
imperilled.  A  psalmist  who  in  the  name  of  God  re- 
proves   '*  the    wicked "    indicates   the    danger  :    **  Thou 


INTRODUCTORY 


thoughtest  that  I  was  altogether  such  an  one  as  thyself." 
Now  the   priesthood,   the  sacrifices,  all   provisions  for 
maintaining  the  sanctity  of  the  ark  and  the  altar,  and 
all  rules  of  ceremonial  cleansing,  were  means  of  pre- 
venting that  fatal  error.     The  Israelites  began  without 
the  solemn  temples  and  impressive  mysteries  that  made 
the  religion  of  Egypt  venerable.     In  the  desert  and  in 
Canaan,  till  the  time  of  Solomon,  the  rude  arrangements 
of  semi-civilised  life  kept  religion  at  an  everyday  level. 
The  domestic   makeshifts  and   confusion  of  the    early 
period,   the    frequent    alarms    and    changes    which    for 
centuries  the  nation   had  to  endure,  must   have  made 
culture    of    any    kind,    even    religious   culture,    almost 
impossible  to  the  mass  of  the  people.     The  law  in  its 
very    complexity    and    stringency    provided    a   needful 
safeguard  and   means  of  education.     Moses  had  been 
acquainted  with  a  great  sacerdotal  system.     Not  only 
would  it  appear  to  him  natural  to  originate  something 
of  a  like   kind,  but  he  would  see   no  other  means  of 
creating  in  rude  times  the  idea  of  the  Divine  holiness. 
For  himself  he  found  inspiration  and  prophetic  power 
in    laying   the    foundation    of  the    system ;    and    once 
initiated,  its   development  necessarily  followed.     With 
the  progress  of  civilisation  the  law  had  to  keep  pace, 
meeting   the    new   circumstances    and    needs    of   each 
succeeding  period.     Certainly  the  genius  of  the  Penta- 
teuch, and  in  particular  of  the  Book  of  Numbers,  is  not 
liberating.     The  tone  is  that  of  theocratic  rigour.     But 
the  reason  is  quite  clear ;  the  development  of  the  law 
was    determined    by    the    necessities    and    dangers    of 
Israel  in  the  exodus,  in  the  wilderness,  and  in  idola- 
trous, seductive  Canaan. 

Opening  with  an  account  of  the  census,  the  Book  of 
Numbers  evidently  stood,  from  the  first,  quite  distinct 


THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


from  the  previous  books  as  a  composition  or  compila- 
tion. The  mustering  of  the  tribes  gave  an  opportunity 
of  passing  from  one  group  of  documents  to  another, 
from  one  stage  of  the  history  to  another.  But  the 
memoranda  brought  together  in  Numbers  are  of  various 
character.  Administrative,  legislative,  and  historical 
sources  are  laid  under  contribution.  The  records  have 
been  arranged  as  far  as  possible  in  chronological  order ; 
and  there  are  traces,  as  for  instance  in  the  second  ac- 
count of  the  striking  of  the  rock  by  Moses,  of  a  careful 
gathering  up  of  materials  not  previously  used,  at  least 
in  the  precise  form  they  now  have.  The  compilers 
collected  and  transcribed  with  the  most  reverent  care, 
and  did  not  venture  in  any  case  to  reject.  The  his- 
torical notices  are  for  some  reason  anything  but  con- 
secutive, and  the  greater  part  of  the  time  covered  by 
the  book  is  virtually  passed  over.  On  the  other  hand 
some  passages  repeat  details  in  a  way  that  has  no 
parallel  in  the  rest  of  the  Mosaic  books.  The  effect 
generally  is  that  of  a  compilation  made  under  difficulties 
by  a  scribe  or  scribes  who  were  scrupulous  to  preserve 
everything  relating  to  the  great  lawgiver  and  the 
dealings  of  God  with  Israel. 

Recent  criticism  is  positive  in  its  assertion  that  the 
book  contains  several  strata  of  narrative  ;  and  there 
are  certain  passages,  the  accounts  of  Korah's  revolt 
and  of  Dathan  and  Abiram,  for  instance,  where  without 
such  a  clew  the  history  must  seem  not  a  little  confused. 
In  a  sense  this  is  disconcerting.  The  ordinary  reader 
finds  it  difficult  to  understand  why  an  inspired  book 
should  appear  at  any  point  incomplete  or  incoherent. 
The  hostile  critic  again  is  ready  to  deny  the  credibility 
of  the  whole.  But  the  honesty  of  the  writing  is  proved 
by  the  very  characteristics  that  make  some  statements 


INTRODUCTORY 


hard  to  interpret  and  some  of  the  records  difficult  to 
receive.  The  theory  that  a  journal  of  the  wanderings 
was  kept  by  Moses  or  under  his  direction  is  quite 
untenable.  Dismissing  that,  we  fall  back  on  the  belief 
that  contemporary  records  of  some  incidents,  and 
traditions  early  committed  to  writing^  formed  the  basis 
of  the  book.  The  documents  were  undoubtedly  ancient 
at  the  time  of  their  final  recension,  whensoever  and  by 
whomsoever  it  was  made. 

By  far  the  greater  part  of  Numbers  refers  to  the 
second  year  after  the  exodus -from  Egypt,  and  to  what 
took  place  in  the  fortieth  year,  after  the  departure  from 
Kadesh.  Regarding  the  intermediate  time  we  are  told 
little  but  that  the  camp  was  shifted  from  one  place  to 
another  in  the  wilderness.  Why  the  missing  details 
have  not  survived  in  any  form  cannot  now  be  made 
out.  It  is  no  sufficient  explanation  to  say  that  those 
events  alone  are  preserved  which  struck  the  popular 
imagination.  On  the  other  hand,  to  ascribe  what  we 
have  to  unscrupulous  or  pious  fabrication  is  at  once 
unpardonable  and  absurd.  Some  may  be  inclined  to 
think  that  the  book  consists  entirely  of  accidental 
scraps  of  tradition,  and  that  inspiration  would  have 
come  better  to  its  end  if  the  religious  feelings  of  the 
people  had  received  more  attention,  and  we  had  been 
shown  the  gradual  rise  of  Israel  out  of  ignorance  and 
semi-barbarism.  Yet  even  for  the  modern  historical 
sense  the  book  has  its  own  claim,  by  no  means  slight, 
to  high  estimation  and  close  study.  These  are  vener- 
able records,  reaching  back  to  the  time  they  profess  to 
describe,  and  presenting,  though  with  some  traditional 
haze,  the  important  incidents  of  the  desert  journey. 

Turning  from  the  history  to  the  legislation,  we  have 
to    inquire    whether    the    laws    regarding    priests   and 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


Levites,  sacrifices  and  cleansings,  bear  uniformly  the 
colour  of  the  wilderness.  The  origins  are  certainly  of 
the  Mosaic  time,  and  some  of  the  statutes  elaborated 
here  must  be  founded  on  customs  and  beliefs  older 
even  than  the  exodus.  Yet  in  form  many  enactments 
are  apparently  later  than  the  time  of  Moses ;  and  it 
does  not  seem  well  to  maintain  that  laws  requiring 
what  was  next  to  impossible  in  the  wilderness  were, 
during  the  journey,  given  and  enforced  as  they  now 
stand  by  a  wise  legislator.  Did  Moses  require,  for 
instance,  that  five  shekels,  "of  the  shekel  of  the 
sanctuary,"  should  be  paid  for  the  ransom  of  the  first- 
born son  of  a  household,  at  a  time  when  many  families 
must  have  had  no  silver  and  no  means  of  obtaining  it  ? 
Does  not  this  statute,  hke  another  which  is  spoken  of 
as  deferred  till  the  settlement  in  Canaan,  imply  a  fixed 
order  and  medium  of  exchange  ?  For  the  sake  of  a 
theory  which  is  intended  to  honour  Moses  as  the  only 
legislator  of  Israel,  is  it  well  to  maintain  that  he 
imposed  conditions  which  could  not  be  carried  out,  and 
that  he  actually  prepared  the  way  for  neglect  of  his 
own  code  ? 

It  is  beyond  our  range  to  discuss  the  date  of  the 
compilation  of  Numbers  as  compared  with  the  other 
Pentateuchal  books,  or  the  age  of  the  '' Jehovistic " 
documents  as  compared  with  the  ''  Priests'  Code." 
This,  however,  is  of  less  moment,  since  it  is  now 
becoming  clear  that  attempts  to  settle  these  dates  can 
only  darken  the  main  question — the  antiquity  of  the 
original  records  and  enactments.  The  assertion  that 
Exodus,  Leviticus,  and  Numbers  belong  to  an  age  later 
than  Ezekiel  is  of  course  meant  to  apply  to  the  pre- 
sent form  of  the  books.  But  even  in  this  sense  it  is 
misleading.     Those   who  make    it    themselves  assume 


INTRODUCTORY 


n 


that  many  things  in  the  law  and  the  history  are  of  far 
older  date,  based  indeed  on  what  at  the  time  of  Ezekiel 
must  have  been  immemorial  usage.  The  main  legisla- 
tion of  the  Pentateuch  must  have  existed  in  the  time 
of  Josiah,  and  even  then  possessed  the  authority  of 
ancient  observance.  The  priesthood,  the  ark,  sacrifice 
and  feast,  the  shewbread,  the  ephod,  can  be  traced  back 
beyond  the  time  of  David  to  that  of  Samuel  and  Eli, 
quite  apart  from  the  testimony  of  the  Books  of  Moses. 
Moreover,  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  the  formula 
'*  The  Lord  said  unto  Moses  "  was  invented  at  a  late 
date  as  the  authority  for  statutes.  It  was  the  invariable 
accompaniment  of  the  ancient  rule,  the  mark  of  an 
origin  already  recognised.  The  various  legislative  pro- 
visions we  shall  have  to  consider  had  their  sanction 
under  the  great  ordinance  of  the  law  and  the  inspired 
prophetism  which  directed  its  use  and  maintained  its 
adaptation  to  the  circumstances  of  the  people.  The 
religious  and  moral  code  as  a  whole,  designed  to  secure 
profound  reverence  towards  .God  and  the  purity  of 
national  faith,  continued  the  legislation  of  Moses,  and  at 
every  point  was  the  task  of  men  who  guarded  as  sacred 
the  ideas  of  the  founder  and  were  themselves  taught 
of  God.  The  entire  law  was  acknowledged  by  Christ 
in  this  sense  as  possessing  the  authority  of  the  great 
lawgiver's  own  commission. 

It  has  been  said  that  "the  inspired  condition  would 
seem  to  be  one  which  produces  a  generous  indifference 
to  pedantic  accuracy  in  matters  of  fact,  and  a  supreme 
absorbing  concern  about  the  moral  and  religious 
significance  of  facts."  If  the  former  part  of  this 
statement  were  true,  the  historical  books  of  the  Bible, 
and,  we  may  say,  in  particular  the  Book  of  Numbers, 
would  deserve  no  attention  as  history.     But  nothing  is 


14  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

more  striking  in  a  survey  of  our  book  than  the  clear 
unhesitating  way  in  which  incidents  are  set  forth,  even 
where  moral  and  religious  ends  could  not  be  much 
served  by  the  detail  that  is  freely  used.  The  account 
of  the  muster-roll  is  a  case  in  point.  There  we  find 
what  may  be  called  "  pedantic  accuracy."  The  enumera- 
tion of  each  tribe  is  given  separately,  and  the  formula 
is  repeated,  **  by  their  families,  by  their  fathers'  houses, 
according  to  the  number  of  the  names  from  twenty 
years  old  and  upward,  all  that  were  able  to  go  forth  to 
war."  Again,  the  whole  of  the  seventh  chapter,  the 
longest  in  the  book,  is  taken  up  with  an  account  of 
the  offerings  of  the  tribes,  made  at  the  dedication  of 
the  altar.  These  oblations  are  presented  day  after 
day  by  the  heads  of  the  twelve  tribes  in  order,  and 
each  tribe  brings  precisely  the  same  gifts — "  one 
silver  charger,  the  weight  thereof  was  an  hundred  and 
thirty  shekels,  one  silver  bowl  of  seventy  shekels 
after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary,  both  of  them 
full  of  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil  for  a  meal  offering  ; 
one  golden  spoon  of  ten  shekels  full  of  incense  ;  one 
young  bullock,  one  ram,  one  he-lamb  of  the  first  year 
for  a  burnt  offering ;  one  male  of  the  goats  for  a  sin 
offering  ;  and  for  the  sacrifice  of  peace  offerings,  two 
oxen,  five  rams,  five  he-goats,  five  he-lambs  of  the  first 
year."  Now  the  difficulty  at  once  occurs  that  in  the 
wilderness,  according  to  Exod.  xvi.,  there  was  no 
bread,  no  flour,  that  manna  was  the  food  of  the  people. 
In  Numb.  xi.  6  the  complaint  of  the  children  of  Israel 
is  recorded  :  "  Now  our  soul  is  dried  away ;  there  is 
nothing  at  all  :  we  have  nought  save  this  manna  to 
look  to."  In  Josh.  v.  lO  flf.  it  is  stated  that,  after  the 
passage  of  the  Jordan,  *'  they  kept  the  passover  on  the 
fourteenth  day  of  the  month  at  even  in  the  plains  of 


INTRODUCTORY  15 


Jericho.  And  they  did  eat  of  the  old  corn  of  the  land 
on  the  morrow  after  the  passover,  unleavened  cakes 
and  parched  corn  in  the  self-same  day.  And  the 
manna  ceased  on  the  morrow  after  they  had  eaten  of 
the  old  corn  of  the  land."  To  the  compilers  of  the 
Book  of  Numbers  the  statement  that  tribe  after  tribe 
brought  offerings  of  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  which 
could  only  have  been  obtained  from  Egypt  or  from 
some  Arabian  valley  at  a  distance,  must  have  been  as 
hard  to  receive  as  it  is  to  us.  Nevertheless,  the  asser- 
tion is  repeated  no  less  than  twelve  times.  What 
then  ?  Do  we  impugn  the  sincerity  of  the  historians  ? 
Are  we  to  suppose  them  careless  of  the  fact  ?  Do  we 
not  rather  perceive  that  in  the  face  of  what  seemed 
insuperable  difficulties  they  held  to  what  they  had 
before  them  as  authentic  records  ?  No  writer  could  be 
inspired  and  at  the  same  time  indifferent  to  accuracy. 
If  there  is  one  thing  more  than  another  on  which 
we  may  rely,  it  is  that  the  authors  of  these  books 
of  Scripture  have  done  their  very  utmost  by  careful 
inquiry  and  recension  to  make  their  account  of  what 
took  place  in  the  wilderness  full  and  precise.  Absolute 
sincerity  and  scrupulous  carefulness  are  essential  con- 
ditions for  dealing  successfully  with  moral  and  religious 
themes  ;  and  we  have  all  evidence  that  the  compilers 
had  these  qualities.  But  in  order  to  reach  historical 
fact  they  had  to  use  the  same  kind  of  means  as  we 
employ ;  and  this  qualifying  statement,  with  all  that  it 
involves,  applies  to  the  whole  contents  of  the  book  we 
are  to  consider.  Our  dependence  with  regard  to  the 
events  recorded  is  on  the  truthfulness  but  not  the 
omniscience  of  the  men,  whoever  they  were,  who  from 
traditions,  records,  scrolls  of  law,  and  venerable 
memoranda   compiled   this   Scripture   as   we   have   it. 


1 6  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

They  wrought  under  the  sense  of  sacred  duty,  and 
found  through  that  the  inspiration  which  gives  peren- 
nial value  to  their  work.  With  this  in  view  we  shall 
take  up  the  various  matters  of  history  and  legislation. 

Recurring  now,  for  a  little,  to  the  spirit  of  the  Book 
of  Numbers,  we  find  in  the  ethical  passages  its  highest 
note  and  power  as  an  inspired  writing.  The  standard 
of  judgment  is  not  by  any  means  that  of  Christianity. 
It  belongs  to  an  age  when  moral  ideas  had  often  to 
be  enforced  with  indifference  to  human  life ;  when, 
conversely,  the  plagues  and  disasters  that  befell  men 
were  always  connected  with  moral  offences.  It  belongs 
to  an  age  when  the  malediction  of  one  who  claimed 
supernatural  insight  was  generally  believed  to  carry 
power  with  it,  and  the  blessing  of  God  meant  earthly 
prosperity.  And  the  notable  fact  is  that,  side  by  side 
with  these  beliefs,  righteousness  of  an  exalted  kind  is 
strenuously  taught.  For  example,  the  reverence  for 
Moses  and  Aaron,  usually  so  characteristic  of  the  Book 
of  Numbers,  is  seen  falling  into  the  background  when 
the  Divine  judgment  of  their  fault  is  recorded ;  and  the 
earnestness  shown  is  nothing  less  than  sublime.  In 
the  course  of  the  legislation  Aaron  is  invested  with 
extraordinary  official  dignity ;  and  Moses  appears  at 
his  best  in  the  matter  of  Eldad  and  Medad  when 
he  says,  *'  Enviest  thou  for  my  sake  ?  Would  God 
that  all  the  Lord's  people  were  prophets,  and  that  the 
Lord  would  put  His  Spirit  upon. them."  Yet  Numbers 
records  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  the  brothers : 
"  Because  ye  believed  Me  not,  to  sanctify  Me  in  the 
eyes  of  the  children  of  Israel,  therefore  ye  shall  not 
bring  this  congregation  into  the  land  which  I  have 
given  them."     And  more    severe    is   the    form    of  the 


INTRODUCTORY  17 


condemnation  recorded  in  chap,  xxvii.  14  :  "  Because 
ye  rebelled  against  My  word  in  the  wilderness  of 
Zin,  in  the  strife  of  the  congregation,  to  sanctify  Me 
at  the  waters  before  their  eyes."  The  moral  strain  of 
the  book  is  keen  in  the  punishment  inflicted  on  a 
Sabbath-breaker,  in  the  destination  to  death  of  the 
whole  congregation  for  murmuring  against  God — a 
judgment  which,  at  the  entreaty  of  Moses,  was  not 
revoked,  but  only  deferred — and  again  in  the  con- 
demnation to  death  of  every  soul  that  sins  presump- 
tuously. On  the  other  hand,  the  provision  of  refuge 
cities  for  the  unwitting  man-slayer  shows  the  Divine 
righteousness  at  one  with  mercy. 

It  must  be  confessed  the  book  has  another  note. 
In  order  that  Israel  might  reach  and  conquer  Canaan 
there  had  to  be  war;  and  the  warlike  spirit  is  frankly 
breathetl.  There  is  no  thought  of  converting  enemies 
like  the  Midianites  into  friends  ;  every  man  of  them 
must  be  put  to  the  sword.  The  census  enumerates 
the  men  fit  for  war.  The  primitive  militarism  is  con- 
secrated by  Israel's  necessity  and  destiny.  When  the 
desert  march  is  over,  Reuben,  Gad,  and  the  half-tribe 
of  Manasseh  must  not  turn  peacefully  to  their  sheep 
and  cattle  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan ;  they  must  send 
their  men  of  war  across  the  river  to  maintain  the  unity 
of  the  nation  by  running  the  hazard  of  battle  with  the 
rest.  Experience  of  this  inevitable  discipline  brought 
moral  gain.  Religion  could  use  even  war  to  lift  the 
people  mto  the  possibility  of  higher  life. 


II 

THE  CENSUS   AND   THE   CAMP 

I.    The  Mustering 
Numbers  i.  1-46 

FROM  the  place  of  high  spiritual  knowledge,  where 
through  the  revelation  of  God  in  covenarU  and 
law  Israel  has  been  constituted  His  nation  and  His 
Church,  the  tribes  must  now  march  with  due  order, 
and  dignity.  The  sense  of  a  Divine  calling  and  of 
responsibility  to  the  Highest  will  react  on  the  whole 
arrangements  made  for  the  ordinary  tasks  and  activities 
of  men.  Social  aims  may  unite  those  who  have  them 
in  common,  and  the  emergencies  of  a  nation  will  lay 
constraint  on  patriotic  souls.  But  nothing  so  binds 
men  together  as  a  common  vocation  to  do  God's  will 
and  maintain  His  faith.  These  ideas  are  to  be  traced 
in  the  whole  account  of  the  mustering  of  the  warriors 
and  the  organisation  of  the  camp.  We  review  it  feeling 
that  the  dominating  thought  of  a  Divine  call  to  spiritual 
duty  and  progress  is  far  from  having  control  of  modern 
Christendom.  Under  the  New^  Covenant  there  is  a 
distribution  of  grace  to  every  one,  an  endowment  of 
each  according  to  his  faith  with  priestly  and  even 
kingly  powers.  No  chief  men  swear  fealty  to  Christ 
on  behalf  of  the  tribes  that  gather  to  His  standard  ; 
but  each  believer  devotes  himself  to   the  service  and 


i.  1-46.]  THE   CENSUS  AND    THE   CAMP  19 

receives  his  own  commission.  Yet,  while  the  first 
thought  is  that  of  personal  honour  and  Hberty,  there 
should  follow  at  once  the  desire,  the  determination,  to 
find  one's  fit  place  in  the  «amp,  in  the  march,  in  the 
war.  The  unity  is  imperative,  for  there  is  one  body 
and  one  spirit,  even  as  we  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
our  calling.  The  commission  each  receives  is  not  to 
be  a  free-lance  in  the  Divine  warfare,  but  to  take  his 
right  place  in  the  ranks ;  and  that  place  he  must  find. 

The  enumeration,  as  recorded  in  chap,  i.,  was  not 
to  be  of  all  Israelites,  but  of  men  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward,  all  that  were  able  to  go  forth  to  war. 
From  Sinai  to  Canaan  was  no  long  journey,  and  fighting 
might  soon  be  required.  The  muster  was  by  way  of 
preparation  for  conflicts  in  the  wilderness  and  for  the 
final  struggle.  It  is  significant  that  Aaron  is  shown 
associated  with  Moses  in  gathering  the  results.  We 
see  not  only  a  preparation  for  war,  but  also  for  the 
poll  tax  or  tithe  to  be  levied  in  support  of  the  priests 
and  Levites.  A  sequel  to  the  enumeration  is  to  be 
found  in  chap,  xviii.  21  :  ^^  And  unto  the  children  of 
Levi,  behold,  I  have  given  all  the  tithe  in  Israel  for 
an  inheritance,  in  return  for  their  service  which  they 
serve,  even  the  service  of  the  tent  of  meeting."  The 
Levites  again  were  to  give,  out  of  what  they  received, 
a  tenth  part  for  the  maintenance  of  the  priests.  The 
enactment  when  carried  into  effect  would  make  the 
support  of  those  who  ministered  in  holy  things  a  term 
of  the  national  constitution. 

Now  taking  the  census  as  intended  to  impress  the 
personal  duties  of  service  in  war  and  contribution  for 
religious  ends,  we  find  in  it  a  valuable  lesson  for  all 
who  acknowledge  the  Divine  authority.  Not  remotely 
may  the  command  be  interpreted  thus.     Take  the  sum 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


of  them,  that  they  may  realise  that  God  takes  the  sum 
of  them  and  expects  of  every  man  service  commensurate 
with  his  powers.  The  claim  of  Jehovah  went  side  by 
side  with  the  claim  on  behalf  of  the  nation,  for  He  was 
Head  of  the  nation.  But  God  is  equally  the  Head  of 
all  who  have  their  life  from  Him  ;  and  this  numbering 
of  the  Hebrews  points  to  a  census  which  is  accurately 
registered  and  never  falls  short  of  the  sum  of  a  people 
by  a  single  unit.  Whoever  can  fight  the  battle  of 
righteousness,  serve  the  truth  by  witness-bearing,  aid 
in  relieving  the  weak,  or  help  religion  by  personal 
example  and  willing  gift — every  possible  servant  of 
God,  who  is  also  by  the  very  possession  of  life  and 
privilege  a  debtor  of  God,  is  numbered  in  the  daily 
census  of  His  providence.  The  measure  of  the  ability 
of  each  is  known.  ^'  To  whomsoever  much  is  given, 
of  him  shall  much  be  required."  The  Divine  regard  of 
our  lives  and  estimate  of  our  powers,  and  the  accom- 
panying claim  made  upon  us,  are  indeed  far  from  being 
understood  ;  even  members  of  the  Church  are  strangely 
ignorant  of  their  duty.  But  is  it  thought  that  because 
no  Sinai  shrouded  in  awful  smoke  towers  above  us, 
ana  now  we  are  encamped  at  the  foot  of  Calvary,  where 
one  great  offering  was  made  for  our  redemption,  there- 
lore  we  are  free  in  any  sense  from  the  service  Israel 
was  expected  to  render  ?  Do  any  hold  themselves 
relieved  from  the  tithe  because  they  are  Christ's  free- 
men, and  shirk  the  warfare  because  they  already  enjoy 
the  privileges  of  the  victors  ?  These  are  the  ignorant, 
whose  complacent  excuses  show  that  they  do  not 
understand  the  law  of  Divine  religion. 

True,  the  position  of  the  Church  among  us  is  not  of 
the  kind  which  the  Mosaic  law  gave  to  the  priesthood 
in  Israel.     Tithes  are  gathered,  not   from  those  only 


i.  1-46.]  THE   CENSUS  AND   THE   CAMP  21 

who  are  numbered  within  the  Church  and  acknowledge 
obhgation,  but  also  from  those  outside,  and  always  by 
another  authority  than  that  of  Divine  commandment. 
In  this  way  the  whole  matter  of  the  support  of  religion 
is  confused  in  these  lands  both  for  members  of  the 
national  Churches  and  for  those  beyond  their  borders. 
Successfully  as  the  old  Hebrew  scheme  may  once  have 
wrought,  it  is  now  hopelessly  out  of  line  with  the 
development  of  society.  The  census  does  not  in  any 
way  determine  what  a  national  Church  can  claim. 
Aaron  does  not  stand  beside  Moses  to  watch  the  enrol- 
ment of  the  tribes,  families,  and  households  as  they 
come  to  be  numbered.  Yet,  by  the  highest  law  of  all, 
which  neither  Church  nor  State  can  alter,  the  demand 
for  service  is  enforced.  There  is  a  warlike  duty  from 
which  none  are  exempt,  from  which  there  is  no  discharge. 
Although  the  ideal  of  an  organised  humanity  appears 
as  yet  far  off  in  our  schemes  of  government  and  social 
melioration,  providentially  it  is  being  carried  into  effect. 
Laws  are  at  work  that  need  no  human  administration. 
By  the  Divine  ordinance  generous  effort  for  the  common 
good  and  the  ends  of  religion  is  made  imperative. 
Obedience  brings  its  reward :  "  The  liberal  deviseth 
liberal  things,  and  by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand." 
Neglect  is  also  punished  :  the  sure  result  of  selfishness 
is  an  impoverished  life. 

The  census  is  described  as  having  been  thoroughly 
organised.  Keil  and  Delitzsch  think  that  the  register- 
ing may  have  taken  place  "  according  to  the  classification 
adopted  at  Jethro's  suggestion  for  the  administration 
of  justice — viz.,  in  thousands,  hundreds,  fifties,  and 
tens."  They  also  defend  the  total  of  six  hundred  and 
three  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty,  which  is  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  that  reached  apparently  nine  months 


THE   BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


before.  It  is  an  obvious  explanation  of  what  appears 
a  perplexing  agreement,  that  the  enumeration  may  have 
occupied  nine  months.  But  the  number  is  certainly 
large,  much  larger  than  the  muster-rolls  of  the  Book 
of  Judges  would  lead  us  to  expect,  if  we  reckon  back 
from  them.  Nor  can  any  explanation  be  given  that 
is  satisfactory  in  all  respects.  We  may  shrink  from 
interfering  with  these  numerical  statements  carefully 
set  down  thousands  of  years  ago.  Yet  we  feel  that  the 
haze  of  remoteness  hangs  over  this  roll  of  the  tribes 
and  all  after-reckonings  based  upon  it. 

Of  the  twelve  princes  named  in  chap.  i.  5-15,  as 
overseers  of  the  census,  Nah^on,  son  of  Amminadab, 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  has  peculiar  distinction.  His 
name  is  found  in  the  genealogy  of  David  given  in  the 
Book  of  Ruth  (chap.  iv.  20).  It  also  appears  in  the 
"  book  of  the  generation  of  Jesus  Christ  "  (Matt,  i.) 
and  the  roll  of  Joseph's  ancestry  recorded  by  St.  Luke. 
One  after  another  in  that  honourable  line  which  gave 
the  Hebrews  their  Psalmist  and  the  world  its  Saviour 
is  but  a  name  to  us.  Yet  the  life  represented  by  the 
name  Nahshon,  spent  mainly  in  the  wilderness,  had 
its  part  in  far-off  results ;  and  so  had  man}^  a  life,  not 
even  named — the  hard  Hves  of  brave  fathers  and 
burdened  mothers  in  Israel,  who,  on  the  weary  march 
through  the  desert,  had  their  sorrow  and  pain,  their 
scanty  joy  and  hope.  Far  away  is  the  endurance  of 
those  Hebrew  men  and  women,  yet  it  is  related  to 
our  own  religion,  our  salvation.  The  discipline  of  the 
wilderness  made  men  of  courage,  women  great  in  faith. 
Beneath  their  feet  the  Arabian  sand  burned,  above 
them  the  sun  flamed  ;  they  heard  alarms  of  war,  and 
followed  the  pillar  of  smoke  for  their  appointed  time, 
looking,   even    when   they   knew   they   looked  in  vain, 


i.  1-46.]  THE  CENSUS  AND   THE   CAMP  23 

for  the  land  beyond  of  which  Jehovah  had  spoken. 
Unaware  of  their  nation's  destiny,  they  toiled  and 
suffered  to  serve  a  great  Divine  plan  which  in  the 
course  of  the  ages  came  to  ripeness.  And  the  thought 
brings  help  to  ourselves.  We  too  have  our  desert 
journey,  our  duty  and  hardship,  with  an  outlook  not 
merely  personal.  It  is  our  privilege,  if  we  will  take 
it  so,  to  aid  the  Divine  plan  for  the  humanity  that  is 
to  be,  the  great  brotherhood  in  which  Christ  shall  see 
of  the  travail  of  His  soul  and  be  satisfied.  Like  a 
prince  of  Judah,  or  a  humble  nameless  mother  in 
Israel,  each  may  find  abiding  dignity  of  life  in  doing 
well  some  allotted  part  in  the  great  enterprise. 

The  age  of  service  fixed  for  the  men  of  the  tribes 
may    yield    suggestions    for   our   time.      It   is    not    of 
warlike  service  we   have  to  think,  but  of  that  which 
depends  on  spiritual  influence  and  intellectual  power. 
And  we  may  ask  whether  the  limits  on  one  side  and 
the    other    have    any   parallel    for    us.       Young   men 
and   women,    having  reached    the   age    of  bodily   and 
mental  vigour,  are  to  hold  themselves  enrolled  in  the 
ranks  of  the  army  of  God.     There  is  a  time  of  learning 
and  preparation,  when   knowledge   is  to  be  acquired, 
when  the  principles  of  life  are  to  be  grasped,  and  the 
soul  is  to  find  its  inspiration   through  personal   faith. 
Then  there  should  come  that  self-consecration  by  which 
response  is  made  to  the  claim  of  God.     Neither  should 
that  be  premature,  nor  should  it  be  deferred.     When  j 
an  aimless,  irresolute  adolescence  is  followed  by  years  I 
of  drifting  and  experimenting  without  clear  religious  • 
purpose,  the  best  opportunity  of  life  is  thrown  away.  ; 
And  this   far   too   frequently  occurs   among   those  on  • 
whom    parental    influence    and    the    finest    Christian 
teaching  have  been  expended.     The  time  arrives  when 


24  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

such  young  men  and  women  should  begin  to  serve  the 
Church  and  the  world  ;  but  they  are  still  unprepared 
because  they  have  not  considered  the  great  questions 
of  duty,  and  seen  that  they  have  a  part  to  play  on  the 
field  of  endeavour.  It  is  true,  no  time  can  be  fixed. 
The  public  service  of  Christ  has  been  begun  by  some 
in  very  early  youth ;  and  the  results  have  justified 
their  adventure.  From  the  humble  tasks  they  first 
undertook  they  have  gone  on  steadily  to  places  of 
high  responsibility,  never  once  looking  back,  learning 
while  they  taught,  gaining  faith  while  they  imparted  it 
to  others.  Each  for  himself  or  herself,  in  this  matter 
of  supreme  importance,  must  seek  the  guidance  and 
realise  the  vocation  of  God.  But  delay  is  often 
indulged,  and  the  twentieth,  even  the  thirtieth  year, 
passes  without  a  single  effort  in  the  holy  service.  One 
could  wish  for  a  Divine  conscription,  a  command  laid 
on  every  one  in  youth  to  be  ready  at  a  certain  day  and 
hour  to  take  the  sword  of  the  Spirit. 

On  the  other  side  also  many  need  to  reconsider. 
No  time  was  fixed  for  the  end  of  the  services  to  which 
the  Israelites  were  summoned.  As  long  as  a  man 
could  carry  arms  he  was  to  hold  himself  ready  for 
the  field.  Not  the  increasing  cares  of  his  family,  not 
the  disinclination  which  comes  with  years,  was  to 
weigh  against  the  ordinance  of  Jehovah.  But  service 
now,  however  cheerfully  it  may  be  rendered  in  early 
manhood  and  womanhood,  is  often  renounced  alto- 
gether when  knowledge  and  power  are  coming  to 
ripeness  with  the  experience  of  life.  Doubtless  there 
are  many  excuses  to  be  made  for  heads  of  households 
who  are  leaving  their  young  folk  to  represent  them  in 
religion,  and  pretty  much  in  everything  outside  the 
mere  maintaining  of  existence  or  the  enjoyment  of  it, 


i.  47-54-]  THE  CENSUS  AND   THE  CAMP  25 

The  demands  of  public  service  all  round  are  sometimes 
quite  out  of  proportion  to  the  available  time  and 
strength.  Yet  the  Christian  duty  never  lapses  ;  and  it 
is  a  great  evil  when  the  balance  is  wanting  between 
old  and  young,  tried  and  untried. 

2.  The  Tribe  of  Levi 

Numbers  i.  47-54 

The  tribe  of  Levi  is  not  numbered  with  the  rest. 
No  warlike  service,  no  half-shekel  for  the  sanctuary,  is 
to  be  exacted  from  the  Levite.  His  contribution  to  the 
general  good  is  to  be  of  another  kind.  Pitching  their 
tents  about  the  tabernacle,  the  men  of  this  tribe  are  to 
guard  the  sanctuary  from  careless  or  rude  intrusion, 
and  minister  unto  it,  taking  charge  of  its  parts  and 
furniture,  dismantling  it  when  it  is  to  be  removed,  setting 
it  up  again  when  another  stage  of  the  march  is  over. 

In  this  order  it  is  implied  that,  although  according  to 
the  ideal  of  the  Mosaic  law  Israel  was  to  be  a  holy 
nation,  yet  the  reality  fell  very  far  short  of  it.  "  The 
Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Speak  unto  all  the 
congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  say  unto 
them.  Ye  shall  be  holy  :  for  I  the  Lord  your  God  am 
holy  "  (Lev.  xix.  i,  2).  Again  and  again  this  command 
of  consecration  is  given.  But  neither  in  the  wilder- 
ness, nor  throughout  the  pre-exilic  history,  nor  after 
the  Babylonian  affliction  had  purged  the  nation  of 
idolatry,  was  Israel  so  holy  that  access  to  the  sanctuary 
could  be  allowed  to  the  men  of  the  tribes.  Rather,  as 
time  went  by,  did  the  need  for  special  consecration  of 
those  about  the  temple  become  more  evident.  Al- 
though by  statute  the  tribe  of  Levi  was  well  provided 
for,  it  cannot  be  said  that  the  life  of  the  Levite  was  at 


26  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

any  time  enviable  from  a  worldly  point  of  view  ;  at  the 
best  it  was  a  kind  of  honourable  poverty.  Something 
else  than  mere  priest-craft  upheld  the  system  which 
separated  the  whole  tribe ;  something  else  made  the 
Levites  content  with  their  position.  There  was  a  real 
and  imperative  sense  of  need  to  guard  the  sanctities 
of  religion,  a  jealousy  for  the  honour  of  God,  which, 
originating  with  Moses  and  the  priesthood,  was  felt 
throughout  the  whole  nation. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  scheme  of  Israel's  religion 
required  this  array  of  servants  of  the  sanctuary. 
Under  Christianity  the  ideal  of  the  life  of  faith  and  the 
manner  of  worship  are  entirely  different.  A  way  into 
the  holy  place  of  the  Divine  presence  is  now  open  to 
every  believer,  and  each  may  have  boldness  to  enter  it. 
But  even  under  Christianity  there  is  a  general  failure 
from  holiness,  from  the  spiritual  worship  of  God. 
And  as  among  the  Hebrews,  so  among  Christians, 
the  need  for  a  body  of  guardians  of  sacred  truth  and 
pure  religion  has  been  widely  acknowledged.  Through- 
out the  Church  generally  down  to  the  Reformation, 
and  still  in  countries  like  Russia  and  Spain,  we  may 
even  say  in  England,  the  condition  of  things  is  like 
that  in  Israel.  A  people  conscious  of  ignorance  and 
secularity,  feeling  nevertheless  the  need  of  religion, 
wilHngly  supports  the  ''priests,"  sometimes  a  great 
army,  who  conduct  the  worship  of  God.  There  is 
nothing  to  wonder  at  here,  in  a  sense  ;  much,  indeed, 
for  which  to  be  thankful.  Yet  the  system  is  not  the 
New  Testament  one ;  and  those  who  endeavour  to 
realise  the  ideal  are  not  to  be  branded  and  scorned  as 
schismatics.  They  should  be  honoured  for  their  noble 
effort  to  reach  and  use  the  holy  consecration  of  the 
Christian. 


ii.]  THE   CENSUS  AND   THE   CAMP  27 


3.  The  Camp 

Numbers  ii 

The  second  chapter  is  devoted  to  the  arrangement 
of  the  camp  and  the  position  of  the  various  tribes 
on  the  march.  The  front  is  eastward,  and  Judah  has 
the  post  of  honour  in  the  van ;  at  its  head  Nahshon 
son  of  Amminadab.  Issachar  and  Zebulun,  closely 
associated  with  Judah  in  the  genealogy  as  descended 
from  Leah,  are  the  others  in  front  of  the  tabernacle. 
The  right  wing,  to  the  south'  of  the  tabernacle,  is  com- 
posed of  Reuben,  Simeon,  and  Gad,  again  connected 
by  the  hereditary  tie,  Gad  by  descent  from  the  '*  hand- 
maid of  Leah."  The  seniority  of  Reuben  is  apparently 
acknowledged  by  the  position  of  the  tribe  at  the  head 
of  the  right  wing,  which  v/ould  sustain  the  first  attack 
of  the  desert  clans  ;  for  dignity  and  onerous  duty  go 
together.  The  rear  is  formed  by  Ephraim,  Manasseh, 
and  Benjamin,  connected  with  one  another  by  descent 
from  Rachel.  Northward,  on  the  left  of  the  advance, 
Dan,  Asher,  and  Naphtali  have  their  position.  Stan- 
dards of  divisions  and  ensigns  of  families  are  not 
forgotten  in  the  description  of  the  camp ;  and  Jewish 
tradition  has  ventured  to  state  what  some  of  these 
were.  Judah  is  said  to  have  been  a  lion  (compare 
**  the  lion  that  is  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,"  Rev.  v.  5)  ; 
Reuben,  the  image  of  a  human  head ;  Ephraim,  an 
ox ;  and  Dan  an  eagle.  If  this  tradition  is  accepted, 
it  will  connect  the  four  main  ensigns  of  Israel  with 
the  vision  of  Ezekiel  in  which  the  same  four  figures 
were  united  in  each  of  the  four  living  creatures  that 
issued  from  the  fiery  cloud. 

The  picture  of  the  great  organised  camp  and  orderly 


28  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

march  of  Israel  is  interesting  ;  but  it  presents  a  contrast 
to  the  disorganised,  disorderly  condition  of  human 
society  in  every  land  and  every  age.  While  it  may  be 
said  that  there  are  nations  leagued  in  creed,  allied  by 
descent,  which  form  the  van  ;  that  others,  similarly  con- 
nected more  or  less,  constitute  the  right  and  left  wings 
of  the  advancing  host ;  and  the  rest,  straggling  far 
behind,  bring  up  the  rear — this  is  but  a  very  imagina- 
tive representation  of  the  fact.  No  people  advances 
as  with  one  mind  and  one  heart ;  no  group  of  nations 
can  be  said  to  have  a  single  standard.  Time  and 
destiny  urge  on  the  host,  and  all  is  to  be  won  by 
steady  resolute  endeavour.  Yet  some  are  encamped, 
while  others  are  moving  about  restlessly  or  engaged 
in  petty  conflicts  that  have  nothing  to  do  with  moral 
gain.  There  should  be  unity ;  but  one  division  is 
embroiled  with  another,  tribe  crosses  swords  with 
tribe.  The  truth  is  that  as  Israel  came  far  short  of 
real  spiritual  organisation  and  due  disposition  of  its 
forces  to  serve  a  common  end,  so  it  is  still  with  the 
human  race.  Nor  do  the  schemes  that  are  occasionally 
tried  to  some  extent  promise  a  remedy  for  our  disorder. 
For  the  symbol  of  our  most  holy  faith  is  not  set  in  the 
midst  by  most  of  those  who  aim  at  social  organisation, 
nor  do  they  dream  of  seeking  a  better  country,  that  is, 
a  heavenly.  The  description  of  the  camp  of  Israel  has 
something  to  teach  us  still.  Without  the  Divine  law 
there  is  no  progress,  without  a  Divine  rallying-point 
there  is  no  unity.  Faith  must  control,  the  standard 
of  Christianity  must  show  the  way  ;  otherwise  the 
nations  will  only  wander  aimlessly,  and  fight  and  die 
in  the  desert. 


Ill 

PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES 
I.  The  Priesthood 

Numbers  iii.   i-io 

IN  the  opening  verse  of  this  chapter,  which  relates 
to  the  designation  of  the  priesthood,  Moses  is 
named,  for  once,  after  his  brother.  According  to  the 
genealogy  of  Exod.  vi.,  Aaron  was  the  elder ;  and 
this  may  have  led  to  the  selection  of  his  as  the  priestly 
house — which  again  would  give  him  priority  in  a  passage 
relating  to  the  hierarchy.  If  Moses  had  chosen,  his 
undoubted  claims  would  have  secured  the  priestly  office 
for  his  family.  But  he  did  not  desire  this ;  and 
indeed  the  duties  of  administrative  head  of  the  people 
were  sufficiently  heavy.  Aaron  was  apparently  fitted 
for  the  sacerdotal  office,  and  without  peculiar  qualifica- 
tions for  any  other.  He  seems  to  have  had  no  originating 
power,  but  to  have  been  ready  to  fall  in  with  and 
direct  the  routine  of  ceremonial  worship.  And  we 
may  assume  that  Moses  knew  the  surviving  sons  of 
Aaron  to  be  of  the  stamp  of  their  father,  likely  to  in- 
augurate a  race  of  steady,  devoted  servants  of  the  altar. 
Yet  all  Aaron's  sons  had  not  been  of  this  quiet 
disposition.  Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  two  eldest,  had 
sinned  presumptuously,  and  brought  on  themselves  the 
doom  of  death.     No  fewer  than  five  times  is  their  fall 

29 


30  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

referred  to  in  the  books  of  Leviticus  and  Numbers. 
Whatever  that  strange  fire  was  which  they  put  in  their 
censers  and  used  before  the  Lord,  the  judgment  that 
befell  them  was  signal  and  impressive.  And  here 
reference  is  made  to  the  fact  that  they  died  without 
issue,  as  if  to  mark  the  barrenness  of  the  sacrilegious. 
Did  it  not  appear  that  inherent  disqualification  for  the 
priesthood,  the  moral  blindness  or  self-will  which  was 
shown  in  their  presumptuous  act,  had  been  foreseen  by 
God,  who  wrote  them  childless  in  His  book  ?  This 
race  must  not  be  continued.  Israel  must  not  begin 
with  priests  who  desecrate  the  altar. 

Whether  the  death  of  those  two  sons  of  Aaron  came 
by  an  unexpected  stroke,  or  was  a  doom  inflicted  after 
judgment  in  which  their  father  had  to  acquiesce,  the 
terrible  event  left  a  most  effectual  warning.  The  order 
appointed  for  the  incense  offering,  and  all  other  sacred 
duties,  would  thenceforth  be  rigidly  observed.  And  the 
incident — revived  continually  for  the  priests  when  they 
studied  the  Law — must  have  had  especial  significance 
through  their  knowledge  of  the  use  and  meaning  of 
fire  in  idolatrous  worship.  The  temptation  was  often 
felt,  against  which  the  fate  of  Nadab  and  Abihu  set 
every  priest  on  his  guard,  to  mingle  the  supposed 
virtue  of  other  religious  symbols  with  the  sanctities 
of  Jehovah.  Who  can  doubt  that  priests  of  Israel, 
secretly  tempted  by  the  rites  of  sun-worship,  might 
have  gone  the  length  of  carrying  the  fire  of  Baal  into 
Jehovah's  temple,  if  the  memory  of  this  doom  had 
not  held  back  the  hand?  Here  also  the  degrada- 
tion of  the  burnt  off'ering  by  taking  flame  from  a 
common  fire  was  by  implication  forbidden.  The  source 
of  that  which  is  the  symbol  of  Divine  purity  must  be 
sacredly  pure. 


iii.  i-io.]  PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  31 

Those  who  minister  in  holy  things  have  still  a 
corresponding  danger,  and  may  find  here  a  needed 
warning.  The  fervour  shown  in  sacred  worship  and 
work  must  have  an  origin  that  is  purely  religious.  He 
who  pleads  earnestly  with  God  on  behalf  of  men,  or 
rises  to  impassioned  appeal  in  beseeching  men  to 
repent,  appearing  as  an  ambassador  of  Christ  urged 
by  the  love  of  souls,  has  to  do  not  with  symbols,  but 
with  truths,  ideas,  Divine  mysteries  infinitely  more 
sacred  than  the  incense  and  fire  of  Old  Testament 
worship.  For  the  Hebrew  priest  outward  and  formal 
consecration  sufficed.  For  the  minister  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  purity  must  be  of  the  heart  and  soul. 
Yet  it  is  possible  for  the  heat  of  alien  zeal,  of  mere 
self-love  or  official  ambition,  to  be  carried  into  duties 
the  most  solemn  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  man  ;r  and  if  it  is  / 
not  in  the  Spirit  of  God  a  preacher  speaks  or  offers  1 
the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving,  if  some  other  inspiration  \ 
makes  him  eloquent  and  gives  his  voice  its  tremulous  ; 
notes,  sin  hke  that  of  Nadab  and  Abihu  is  committed,  : 
or  rather  a  sin  greater  than  theirs.  With  profound 
sorrow  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  ''  strange  fire " 
from  idolatrous  altars  too  often  desecrates  the  service 
of  God.  Excitement  is  sought  by  those  who  minister 
in  order  that  the  temperament  may  be  raised  to  the 
degree  necessary  for  free  and  ardent  speech;  and  it 
is  not  always  of  a  purely  religious  kind.  Those  who 
hear  may  for  a  time  be  deceived  by  the  pretence  of 
unction,  by  dramatic  tones,  by  alien  fire.  But  the 
difference  is  felt  when  it  cannot  be  defined;  and  on 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  ministrant  the  effect  is  simply 
fatal. 

The  surviving  sons  of  Aaron,  Eleazar  and  Ithamar, 
were  anointed  and    "  consecrated   to   minister   in   the 


32  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

priest's  office."  The  form  of  designation  is  indicated 
by  the  expression,  **  whose  hand  he  filled  to  exercise 
priesthood."  This  has  been  explained  as  referring  to 
a  portion  of  the  ceremony  described  in  Lev.  viii.  26  f. 
"  And  out  of  the  basket  of  unleavened  bread,  that  was 
before  the  Lord,  he  took  one  unleavened  cake,  and  one 
cake  of  oiled  bread,  and  one  wafer,  and  placed  them  on 
the  fat,  and  upon  the  right  thigh  :  and  he  put  the  whole 
upon  the  hands  of  Aaron,  and  upon  the  hands  of  his 
sons,  and  waved  them  for  a  wave  offering  before  the 
Lord."  The  explanation  is  scarcely  satisfactory.  In 
the  long  ceremony  of  consecration  this  incident  was 
not  the  only  one  to  which  the  expression  "  filling  the 
hand  "  was  applied  ;  and  something  simpler  must  be 
found  as  the  source  of  an  idiomatic  phrase.  To  fill  the 
hand  would  naturally  mean  to  pay  or  hire,  and  we 
seem  to  be  pointed  to  the  time  when  for  the  patriarchal 
priesthood  there  was  substituted  one  that  was  official, 
supported  by  the  community.  In  Exod.  xxviii.  41 
and  in  Lev.  viii.  33,  the  expression  in  question  is 
used  in  a  general  sense  incompatible  with  its  reference 
to  any  particular  portion  of  the  ceremony  of  consecra- 
tion. It  is  also  used  in  Judges  xvii.,  where  to  all 
appearance  the  consecration  of  Micah's  Levite  implied 
little  else  than  the  first  payment  on  account  of  a 
stipulated  hire.  The  phrase,  then,  appears  to  be  a 
mark  of  history,  and  carries  the  mind  back  to  the 
simple  origin  of  the  priestly  office. 

Eleazar  and  Ithamar  ''ministered  in  the  priest's 
office  in  the  presence  of  Aaron  their  father."  So  far 
as  the  narrative  of  the  Pentateuch  gives  information, 
there  were  originally,  and  during  the  whole  of  the 
wilderness  journey,  no  other  priests  than  Aaron  and 
his   sons.     Nadab  and  Abihu  having  died,   there  re- 


ii.  i-io.]  PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  33 

mained  but  the  two  besides  their  father.  Phinehas  the 
son  of  Eleazar  appears  in  the  history,  but  is  not  called 
a  priest,  nor  has  he  any  priestly  functions.  What  he 
does  is  -indeed  quite  apart  from  the  holy  office.  And 
this  early  restriction  of  the  number  is  not  only  in 
favour  of  the  Pentateuchal  history,  but  partly  explains 
the  fact  that  in  Deuteronomy  the  priests  and  Levites 
are  apparently  identified.  Taking  at  their  very  heaviest 
the  duties  specially  laid  on  the  priests,  much  must 
have  fallen  to  the  share  of  their  assistants,  who  had 
their  own  consecration  as  ministers  of  the  sanctuary. 
It  is  certain  that  members  of  the  Levitical  families 
were  in  course  of  time  admitted  to  the  full  status  of 
priests. 

The  direction  is  given  in  ver.  10,  *'  Thou  shalt 
appoint  Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  they  shall  keep  their 
priesthood ;  and  the  stranger  that  cometh  nigh  shall  be 
put  to  death."  This  is  rigorously  exclusive,  and  seems 
to  conta-ast  with  the  statements  of  Deuteronomy,  *'  At 
that  time  the  Lord  separated  the  tribe  of  Levi  to  bear 
the  ark  of  the  .covenant  of  the  Lord,  to  stand  before 
the  Lord  to  minister  unto  Him  and  to  bless  in  His 
name  unto  this  day"  (x.  8);  and  again,  "The  priests 
the  Levites,  even  all  the  tribe  of  Levi,  shall  have  no 
portion  nor  inheritance  with  Israel ;  they  shall  eat  the 
offerings  of  the  Lord  made  by  fire,  and  His  inherit- 
ance "  (xviii.  i);  and  once  more,  "Moses  wrote  the 
law  and  delivered  it  unto  the  priests,  the  sons  of  Levi, 
which  bore  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  and 
unto  all  the  elders  of  Israel "  (xxxi.  9).  Through- 
out Deuteronomy  the  priests  are  never  called  sons  of 
Aaron,  nor  is  Aaron  called  a  priest.  Whether  the 
cause  of  this  apparent  discrepancy  is  that  Deuteronomy 
regarded  the  arrangements  for  the  priestly  service  in 

3 


34  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

a  different  light,  or  that  the  distinction  of  priests  from 
Levites  fell  into  abeyance  and  was  afterwards  revived, 
the  variation  cannot  be  ignored.  In  the  book  of 
Joshua  ''  the  children  of  Aaron  the  priest "  appear  on 
a  few  occasions,  and  certain  of  the  duties  of  high  priest 
are  ascribed  to  Eleazar.  Yet  even  in  Joshua  the 
importance  attached  to  the  Aaronic  house  is  far  less 
than  in  Exodus,  Leviticus,  and  Numbers ;  and  the 
expression  ''  the  priests  the  Levites "  occurs  twice. 
If  we  regard  the  origin  of  the  Aaronic  priesthood  as 
belonging  to  the  Mosaic  period,  then  the  wars  and 
disturbances  of  the  settlement  in  Canaan  must  have 
entirely  disorganised  the  system  originally  instituted. 
In  the  days  of  the  judges  there  seems  to  have  been 
no  orderly  observance  of  those  laws  which  gave  the 
priesthood  importance.  Scattered  Levites  had  to  do 
as  they  best  could  what  was  possible  in  the  way  of 
sacrifice  and  purification.  And  this  confusion  may 
have  begun  in  the  plain  of  Moab.  The  death  of  Aaron, 
the  personal  insignificance  of  his  sons,  and  still  more 
the  death  of  Moses  himself,  would  place  the  administra- 
tion of  religious  as  well  as  secular  affairs  on  an 
entirely  different  footing.  Memoranda  preserved  in 
Leviticus  and  Numbers  may  therefore  be  more  ancient 
than  those  of  Deuteronomy  ;  and  Deuteronomy, 
describing  the  state  of  things  before  the  passage  of 
Jordan,  may  in  regard  to  the  priesthood  reflect  the 
conditions  of  a  new  development,  the  course  of  which 
did  not  blend  with  the  original  design  till  after  the 
captivity. 

The  tribe  of  Levi  is,  according  to  ver.  6  ff.,  appointed 
to  minister  to  Aaron,  and  to  keep  his  charge  and  that 
of  the  congregation  before  the  **  tent  of  meeting,"  to 
do  the  service  of  the  tabernacle;     For  all  the  necessary 


iii.  i-io.]  PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  35 

work  connected  with  the  sanctuary  the  Levites  are 
''wholly  given  unto  Aaron  on  behalf  of  the  children 
of  Israel."  It  was  of  course  in  accordance  with  the 
patriarchal  idea  that  each  clan  should  have  a  hereditary 
chief.  Here,  however,  an  arbitrary  rule  breaks  in. 
For  Aaron  was  not  by  primogeniture  head  of  the  tribe 
of  Levi.  He  belonged  to  a  younger  family  of  the 
tribe.  The  arrangements  made  by  Moses  as  the 
representative  of  God  superseded  the  succession  by 
birthright.  And  this  is  by  no  means  the  only  case 
in  which  a  law  usually  adhered  to  was  broken  through. 
According  to  the  history  the  high-priesthood  did  not 
invariably  follow  the  line  of  Eleazar.  At  a  certain 
point  a  descendant  of  Ithamar  was  for  some  reason 
raised  to  the  dignity.  Samuel,  too,  became  virtually  a 
priest,  and  rose  higher  than  any  high-priest  before  the 
captivity,  although  he  was  not  even  of  the  tribe  of 
Levi.  The  law  of  spiritual  endowment  in  his  case  set 
the  other  aside.  And  is  it  not  often  so  ?  The  course 
of  providence  brings  forward  the  man  who  can  guide 
affairs.  While  his  work  lasts  he  is  practically  supreme. 
It  is  useless  to  question  or  rebel.  Neither  in  religion 
nor  in  government  can  the  appeal  to  Divine  right  or 
to  constitutional  order  alter  the  fact.  Korah  need 
not  revolt  against  Moses ;  nor  may  Aaron  imagine 
that  he  can  push  himself  into  the  front.  And  Aaron, 
as  head  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and  of  the  religious 
administration,  is  safe  in  his  own  position  so  long 
only  as  his  office  is  well  served.  '  It  is  to  responsibility 
he  is  called,  rather  than  to  honour.  Let  him  do  his 
duty,  otherwise  he  will  surely  become  merely  a  name 
or  a  figure. 


THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


2.  The  First-born 
Numbers  iii.    11-13,  40-51 

These  two  passages  supplement  each  other  and 
may  be  taken  together.  Jehovah  claims  the  first-born 
in  Israel.  He  hallowed  them  unto  Himself  on  the  day 
when  He  smote  all  the  first-born  in  the  land  of  Egypt. 
They  are  now  numbered  from  a  month  old  and  upward. 
But  instead  of  their  being  appointed  personally  to  holy 
service,  the  Levites  are  substituted  for  them.  The 
whole  account  supplies  a  scheme  of  the  origin  of  the 
sacerdotal  tribe. 

It  has  been  questioned  whether  the  number  of  the 
first-born,  which  is  22,273,  can  in  any  way  be  made  to 
agree  with  the  total  number  of  the  male  Israehtes, 
previously  stated  at  603,550.  Wellhausen  is  specially 
contemptuous  of  a  tradition  or  calculation  which,  he 
says,  would  give  an  average  of  forty  children  to  each 
woman.  But  the  difficulty  partly  yields  if  it  is  kept  in 
view  that  the  Levites  were  separated  for  the  service  of 
the  sanctuary.  Naturally  it  would  be  the  heir-apparent 
alone  of  each  family  group  whose  liability  to  this  kind 
of  duty  fell  to  be  considered.  The  head  of  a  household 
was,  according  to  the  ancient  reckoning,  its  priest.  In 
Abraham's  family  no  one  counted  as  a  first-born  but 
Isaac.  Now  that  a  generation  of  Israelites  is  growing 
up  sanctified  by  the  covenant,  it  appears  fit  that  the 
presumptive  priest  should  either  be  devoted  to 
sacerdotal  duty,  or  relieved  of  it  by  a  Levite  as  his 
substitute.  Suppose  each  family  had  five  tents,  and 
suppose  further  that  the  children  born  before  the 
exodus  are  not  reckoned,  the  number  will  not  be  found 
at  all  disproportionate.  The  absolute  number  remains 
a  difficulty. 


iii.  11-13,40-51.]      PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  37 

Dr.  Robertson  Smith  argues  from  his  own  premises 
about  the  sanctity  of  the  first-born.  He  repudiates  the 
notion  that  at  one  time  the  Hebrews  actually  sacrificed 
all  their  first-born  sons  ;  yet  he  affirms  that  "  there 
must  have  been  some  point  of  attachment  in  ancient 
custom  for  the  belief  that  the  Deity  asked  for  such  a 
sacrifice."  ^  **  I  apprehend,"  he  proceeds,  "  that  all  the 
prerogatives  of  the  first-born  among  Semitic  peoples  are 
originally  prerogatives  of  sanctity ;  the  sacred  blood 
of  the  kin  flows  purest  and  strongest  in  him  (Gen. 
xlix.  3).  Neither  in  the  case  of  children  nor  in  that 
of  cattle  did  the  congenital  holiness  of  the  first-born 
originally  imply  that  they  must  be  sacrificed  or  given 
to  the  Deity  on  the  altar,  but  only  that  if  sacrifice  was 
to  be  made,  they  were  the  best  and  fittest  because  the 
holiest  victims."  The  passage  in  Numbers  may  be 
confidently  declared  to  be  far  from  any  such  conception. 
The  special  fitness  for  sacrifice  of  the  first-born  of  an 
animal  is  assumed  :  the  fitness  of  the  heir  of  a  family, 
again,  is  plainly  not  to  become  a  sacrifice,  but  to  offer 
sacrifice.  The  first-born  of  the  Egyptians  died.  But 
it  is  the  life,  the  holy  activity  of  His  own  people,  not 
their  death,  God  desires.  And  this  holy  activity,  rising 
to  its  highest  function  in  the  first-born,  is  according 
to  our  passage  laid  on  the  Levites  to  a  certain  extent. 
Not  entirely  indeed.  The  whole  congregation  is  still 
consecrated  and  must  be  holy.  All  are  bound  by  the 
covenant.  The  head  of  each  family  group  will  still 
have  to  officiate  as  a  priest  in  celebrating  the  passover. 
Certain  duties,  however,  are  transferred  for  the  better 
protection  of  the  sanctities  of  worship. 

The  first-born  are    found   to  exceed  the  number  of 


Religion  of  the  Semites,"  p.  445. 


38  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

the  Levites  by  two  hundred  and  seventy-three ;  and 
for  their  redemption  Moses  takes  "  five  shekels  apiece 
by  the  poll ;  after  the  shekel  of  the  sanctuary."  The 
money  thus  collected  is  given  unto  Aaron  and  his 
sons. 

The  method  of  redemption  here  presented,  purely 
arbitrary  in  respect  of  the  sum  appointed  for  the  ransom 
of  each  life,  is  fitly  contrasted  by  the  Apostle  Peter 
with  that  of  the  Christian  dispensation.  He  adopts  the 
word  redeenty  taking  it  over  from  the  old  economy,  but 
says,  ^'  Ye  were  redeemed  not  with  corruptible  things, 
with  silver  or  gold,  from  your  vain  manner  of  life 
handed  down  from  your  fathers."  And  the  difference 
is  net  only  that  the  Christian  is  redeemed  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ,  but  this  also,  that,  while  the 
first-born  Israelite  was  relieved  of  certain  parts  of 
the  holy  service  which  might  have  been  claimed  of  him 
by  Jehovah^  it  is  for  sacred  service,  "to  be  a  holy 
priesthood  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,"  Christians 
are  redeemed.  In  the  one  case  exemption,  in  the  other 
case  consecration  is  the  end.  The  difference  is  indeed 
great,  and  shows  how  much  the  two  covenants  are 
in  contrast  with  each  other.  It  is  not  to  enable  us  to 
escape  any  of  the  duties  or  obligations  of  life  Christ 
has  given  Himself  for  us.  It  is  to  make  us  fit  for  those 
duties,  to  bring  us  fully  under  those  obligations,  to 
purify  us  that  we  may  serve  God  with  our  bodies  and 
spirits  which  are  His. 

A  passage  in  Exodus  (xiii.  1 1  f.)  must  not  be  over- 
looked in  connection  with  that  presently  under  con- 
sideration. The  enactment  there  is  to  the  effect  that 
when  Israel  is  brought  into  the  land  of  the  Canaanites 
every  first-born  of  beasts  shall  be  set  apart  unto  the 
Lord,  the  firstling  of  an  ass  shall  be  redeemed  with  a 


ii.  11-13, 40-5t]      PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  39 

lamb  or  killed,  and  all  first-born  children  shall  be 
redeemed.  Here  the  singular  point  is  that  the  law  is 
deferred,  and  does  not  come  into  operation  till  the 
settlement  in  Canaan.  Either  this  was  set  aside  for 
the  provisions  made  in  Nu/.bers,  or  these  are  to  be 
interpreted  by  it.  The  difficulties  of  the  former  view 
are  greatly  increased  by  the  mention  of  the  ''  shekel  of 
the  sanctuary,"  which  seems  to  imply  a  settled  medium 
of  exchange,  hardly  possible  in  the  wilderness. 

In  Numb.  viii.  18,  19,  the  subject  of  redemption  is 
again  touched,  and  the  additions  are  significant.  Now 
the  service  of  the  Levites  "  in  the  tent  of  meeting  "  is 
by  way  of  atonement  for  the  children  of  Israel,  *'  that 
there  be  no  plague  among  the  children  of  Israel  when 
the  children  of  Israel  come  nigh  unto  the  sanctuary." 
Atonement  is  not  with  blood  in  this  case,  but  by  the 
service  of  the  living  substitute.  While  the  general 
scope  of  the  Mosaic  law  requires  the  shedding  of  blood 
in  order  that  the  claim  of  God  may  be  met,  this  exception 
must  not  be  forgotten.  And  in  a  sense  it  is  the  chief 
instance  of  atonement,  far  transcending  in  expressive- 
ness those  in  which  animals  were  slaughtered  for 
propitiation.  The  whole  congregation,  threatened  with 
plagues  and  disasters  in  approaching  God,  has  pro- 
tection through  the  holy  service  of  the  Levitical  tribe. 
Here  is  substitution  of  a  kind  which  makes  a  striking 
point  in  the  symbolism  of  the  Old  Testament  in  its 
relation  to  the  New.  The  principle  may  be  seen  in 
patriarchal  history.  The  ten  in  Sodom,  if  ten  righteous 
men  could  have  been  found,  would  have  saved  it, 
would  have  been  its  atonement  in  a  sense,  not  by  their 
death  on  its  behalf  but  by  their  life.  And  Moses 
himself,  standing  alone  between  God  and  Israel,  prevails 
by  his  pleading  and  saves  the  nation  from  its  doom. 


40  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

So  our  Lord  says  of  His  disciples,  *'  Ye  are  the  salt  of 
the  earth."  Their  holy  devotion  preserves  the  mass 
from  moral  corruption  and  spiritual  death.  Again, 
**  for  the  elect's  sake,"  the  days  of  tribulation  shall 
be  shortened  (Matt.   xxiv.   22). 

The  ceremonies  appointed  for  the  cleansing  and 
eonsecration  of  the  Levites,  described  in  viii.  5-26, 
may  be  noticed  here.  They  differed  considefably  from 
those  enjoined  for  the  conse"Cration  of  priests.  Neither 
were  the  Levites  anointed  with  sacred  oil,  for  instance, 
nor  were  they  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  sacrifices  ; 
nor,  again,  do  they  seem  to  have  worn  any  special 
dress,  even  in  the  tabernacle  court.  There  was,  how- 
ever, an  impressive  ritual  which  would  produce  in 
their  minds  a  consciousness  of  separation  and  devotion 
to  God.  The  water  of  expiation,  literally  of  sin,  was 
first  to  be  sprinkled  upon  them,  a  baptism  not  signifying 
anything  like  regeneration,  but  having  reference  to 
possible  defilements  of  the  flesh.  A  razor  was  then 
to  be  made  to  pass  over  the  whole  body,  and  the  clothes 
were  to  be  washed,  also  to  remove  actual  as  well  as 
legal  impurity.  This  cleansing  completed,  the  sacrifices 
followed.  One  bullock  for  a  burnt  offering,  with  its 
accompanying  meal  offering,  and  one  for  a  sin  offering 
were  provided.  The  people  being  assembled  towards 
the  door  of  the  tent  of  meeting,  the  Levites  were  placed 
in  front  of  them  to  be  presented  to  Jehovah.  The 
princes  probably  laid  their  hands  on  the  Levites,  so 
declaring  them  the  representatives  of  all  for  their 
special  office.  Then  Aaron  had  to  offer  the  sacrifices 
for  the  Levites,  and  the  Levites  themselves  as  living 
sacrifices  to  Jehovah.  The  Levites  laid  their  hands  on 
the  bullocks,  making  them  their  substitutes  for  the 
symbolic    purpose.       Aaron    and    his    sons    slew    the 


iii.  11-13,  40-5 1 •]      PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  4 1 

animals  and  offered  them  in  the  appointed  way,  burn- 
ing the  one  bullock  upon  the  altar,  around  which  its 
blood  had  been  sprinkled,  of  the  other  burning  only 
certain  portions  called  the  fat.  T^  Jn  the  ceremony 
of  waving  was  performed,  or  wl!j.t  was  possible  in 
the  circumstances,  each  Levite  being  passed  through 
the  hands  of  Aaron  or  one  of  his  sons.  So  set  apart, 
they  were,  according  to  viii.  24,  required  to  wait  upon 
the  work  of  the  tent  of  meeting,  each  from  his  twenty- 
fifth  to  his  fiftieth  year.  The  service  had  been  pre- 
viously ordered  to  begin  at  the  thirtieth  year  (iv.  3). 
Afterwards  the  time  of  ministry  was  still  further 
extended  (i   Chron.  xxiii.  24-27). 

Such  is  the  account  of  the  symbolic  cleansing  and 
the  representative  ministry  of  the  Levites ;  and  we  see 
both  a  parallel  and  a  contrast  to  what  is  demanded 
now  for  the  Christian  life  of  obedience  and  devotion 
to  God.  Purification  there  must  be  from  all  defilement 
of  flesh  and  spirit.  With  the  change  which  takes  place 
when  by  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ  we  enter  into 
the  free  service  of  God  there  must  be  a  definite  and 
earnest  purging  of  the  whole  nature.  *'  As  ye  presented 
your  members  as  servants  to  uncleanness  and  to  iniquity 
unto  iniquity,  even  so  now  present  your  members  as 
servants  to  righteousness  unto  sanctification "  (Rom. 
vi.  19).  *' Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are 
upon  the  earth ;  fornication,  uncleanness,  passion,  evil 
desire,  and  covetousness,  the  which  is  idolatry,  .  .  . 
put  ye  also  away  all  these  :  anger,  wrath,  malice, 
railing,  shameful  speaking  out  of  your  mouth  :  lie  not 
one  to  another  ;  seeing  that  ye  have  put  off  the  old 
man  with  his  doings,  and  have  put  on  the  new  man  " 
(Col.  iii.  5,  8,  9).  Thus  the  purity  of  heart  and  soul  so 
imperfectly  represented  by  the  cleansings  of  the  Levites 


42  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

is  set  forth  as  the  indispensable  preparation  of  the 
Christian.  And  the  contrast  Hes  in  this,  that  the  puri- 
fication required  by  the  New  Testament  law  is  for  all, 
and  is  the  same  for  each.  Whether  one  is  to  serve  in 
the  ministry  of  the  Gospel  or  sweep  a  room  as  for 
God's  cause,  the  same  profound  purity  is  needful.  All 
in  the  Kingdom  of  God  are  to  be  holy,  for  He  is  holy. 

3.  Levitical  Service 

Numbers  iii.  14-39;  iv 

The  sacred  service  of  the  Levites  is  described  in 
detail.  There  are  three  divisions,  the  Gershonites,  the 
Kohathites,  the  Merarites.  The  Gershonites,  from  a 
month  old  and  upward,  number  7,500  ;  the  Kohathites, 
8,600;  the  Merarites,  6,200.  Eleazar,  son  of  Aaron,  is 
prince  of  the  princes  of  the  Levites. 

The  office  of  the  Kohathites  is  of  peculiar  sanctity, 
next  to  that  of  Aaron  and  his  sons.  They  are  not 
''cut  off"  or  specially  separated  from  among  the  Levites 
(iv.  1 8) ;  but  they  have  duties  that  require  great  care, 
and  they  must  not  venture  to  approach  the  most  holy 
things  till  preparation  has  been  made  by  the  priests. 
The  manner  of  that  preparation  is  fully  described. 
When  order  has  been  given  for  the  setting  forward  of 
the  camp,  Aaron  and  his  sons  cover  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  first  with  the  veil  of  the  screen,  then  with  a 
covering  of  sealskin,  and  lastly  with  a  cloth  of  blue  ; 
they  also  insert  in  the  rings  the  long  staves  with 
which  the  ark  is  to  be  carried.  Next  the  table  of 
shewbread  is  covered  with  a  blue  cloth ;  the  dishes^ 
spoons,  bowls,  and  cups  are  placed  on  the  top,  over 
them  a  scarlet  cloth,  and  above  that  a  sealskin  covering  ; 
the  staves  of  the  table  are  also  placed  in  readiness.    The 


14-39;  iv.]  PRIESTS  AND  LEVlTES  43 


candlestick  and  its  lamps  and  other  appurtenances  are 
wrapped  up  in  like  manner  and  put  on  a  frame.  Then 
the  golden  altar  by  itself,  and  the  vessels  used  in  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary  by  themselves  are  covered  with 
blue  cloth  and  sealskin  and  made  ready  for  carriage. 
Finally,  the  great  altar  is  cleansed  of  ashes,  covered  up 
with  purple  cloth  and  sealskin,  and  its  staves  set  in 
their  rings.  When  all  this  is  done  the  sons  of  Kohath 
may  advance  to  bear  the  holy  things,  never  touching 
them  lest  they  die. 

The  question  arises,  why  so  great  care  is  considered 
necessary  that  none  but  the  priests  should  handle  the 
furniture  of  the  sanctuary.  We  have  learned  to  think 
that  a  real  religion  should  avoid  secrecy,  that  every- 
thing connected  with  it  should  be  done  in  the  open 
light  of  day.  Why,  then,  is  the  shrine  of  Jehovah 
guarded  with  such  elaborate  precaution  ?  And  the 
answer  is  that  the  idea  of  mystery  appears  here  as 
absolutely  needful,  in  order  to  maintain  the  solemn 
feelings  of  the  people  and  their  sense  of  the  holiness 
of  God.  Not  only  because  the  Israelites  were  rude 
and  earthly,  but  also  because  the  whole  system  was 
symbolic,  the  holy  things  were  kept  from  common 
sight.  In  this  respect  the  worship  described  in  these 
books  of  Moses  resembled  that  of  other  nations  of 
antiquity.  The  Egyptian  temple  had  its  innermost 
shrine  where  the  arks  of  the  gods  were  placed ;  and 
into  that  most  holy  place  with  its  silver  soil  the  priests 
alone  went.  But  even  Egyptian  worship,  with  all  its 
mystery,  did  not  always  conceal  the  arks  and  statues 
of  the  gods.  When  those  gods  were  believed  to  be 
favourable,  the  arks  were  carried  in  procession,  the 
images  so  far  unveiled  that  they  could  be  seen  by 
the  people.     It  was  entirely  different  in  the  case  of  the 


44  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

sacred  symbols  and  instruments  of  Hebrew  worship, 
according  to  the  ideal  of  the  law.  And  the  elaborate 
precautions  are  to  be  regarded  as  indicating  the  highest 
tide-mark  of  symbolised  sanctity.  Jehovah  was  not 
like  Egyptian  or  Assyrian  or  Phoenician  gods.  These 
might  be  represented  by  statues  which  the  people 
could  see.  But  everything  used  in  His  worship  must 
be  kept  apart.  The  worship  must  be  of  faith  ;  and  the 
ark  which  was  the  great  symbol  must  remain  always 
invisible.  The  effect  of  this  on  the  popular  mind  was 
complex,  varying  with  the  changing  circumstances  of 
the  nation  ;  and  to  trace  it  would  be  an  interesting 
piece  of  study.  It  may  be  remembered  that  in  the 
time  of  most  ardent  Judaism  the  want  of  the  ark  made 
no  difference  to  the  veneration  in  which  the  temple  was 
held  and  the  intense  devotion  of  the  people  to  their 
religion.  The  ark  was  used  as  a  talisman  in  Eli's 
time  ;  in  the  temple  erected  after  the  captivity  there 
was  no  ark ;  its  place  in  the  holy  of  holies  was 
occupied  by  a  stone. 

The  Gershonites  had  as  their  charge  the  screens 
and  curtains  of  the  tabernacle,  or  most  holy  place,  and 
the  tent  of  meeting  or  holy  place,  also  the  curtains  of 
the  court  of  the  tabernacle.  The  boards,  bars,  pillars, 
and  sockets  of  the  tabernacle  and  of  the  court  were  to 
be  entrusted  to  the  Merarites. 

In  the  whole  careful  ordering  of  the  duties  to  be 
discharged  by  these  Levites  we  see  a  figure  of  the 
service  to  be  rendered  to  God  and  men  in  6ne  aspect 
of  it.  Organisation,  attention  to  details,  and  subordina- 
tion of  those  who  carry  out  schemes  to  the  appointed 
officials,  and  of  all,  both  inferior  and  superior,  to  law — 
these  ideas  are  here  fully  represented.  Assuming  the 
incapacity  of  many  for  spontaneous  effort,  the  principle 


iii.  14-39;  iv.]  PRIESTS  AND  LEVITES  45 

that  God  is  not  a  God  of  confusion  but  of  order  in  the 
churches  of  the  saints  may  be  held  to  point  to  sub- 
ordination of  a  similar  kind  even  under  Christianity. 
But  the  idea  carried  to  its  full  limit,  implies  an  inequa- 
lity between  men  which  the  free  spirit  of  Christianity 
will  not  admit.  It  is  an  honour  for  men  to  be  con- 
nected with  any  spiritual  enterprise,  even  as  bearers 
of  burdens.  Those  who  take  such  a  place  may  be 
spiritual  men,  thoughtful  men,  as  intelligent  and  earnest 
as  their  official  superiors.  But  the  Levites,  according 
to  the  law,  were  to  be  bearers  of  burdens,  menials  of 
the  sanctuary  from  generation  to  generation.  Here 
the  parallel  absolutely  fails.  No  Christian,  however 
cordially  he  may  fill  such  a  place  for  a  time,  is  bound 
to  it  in  perpetuity.  His  way  is  open  to  the  highest 
duties  and  honours  of  a  redeemed  son  of  God.  In  a 
sense  Judaism  even  did  not  prevent  the  spiritual 
advancement  of  any  Levite,  or  any  man.  The  priest- 
hood was  practically  closed,  but  the  office  of  the 
prophet,  really  higher  than  that  of  the  priest,  was  not. 
From  the  routine  work  of  the  priesthood  men  like 
Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  were  called  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
to  speak  in  the  name  of  the  Highest.  The  word  of 
the  Lord  was  put  into  their  mouths.  Elijah,  who  was 
apparently  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  Amos  and  Daniel, 
who  belonged  to  Judah,  became  prophets.  The  open 
door  for  the  men  of  the  tribes  was  into  this  calling. 
Neither  in  Israel  nor  in  Christendom  is  priesthood 
the  highest  religious  function.  The  great  servants  of 
God  might  well  refuse  it  or  throw  aside  its  shackles. 


IV 

DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION 

Numbers  v 

THE  separation  of  Israel  as  a  people  belonging  to 
Jehovah  proceeded  on  ideas  of  holiness  which 
excluded  from  privilege  many  of  the  Hebrews  them- 
selves. The  law  did  not  ordain  that  in  cases  of  defile- 
ment there  might  be  immediate  purification  by  washing 
or  sacrifice.  So  far  as  ceremonial  uncleanness  was 
concerned,  we  may  think  this  might  have  been  pro- 
vided for,  and  moral  offences  alone  might  have  involved 
the  offender  in  continued  defilement.  But  just  as 
idolatry,  blasphemy,  and  murder  caused  pollution  which 
could  not  be  removed  by  sacrifice,  but  only  by  the 
capital  punishment  of  the  guilty,  so  certain  bodily 
conditions  and  defects,  and  certain  diseases,  chiefly 
leprosy  and  those  akin  to  it,  were  held  to  cause  a  defile- 
ment which  could  not  be  purged  by  any  ceremony.  A 
high  standard  of  bodily  health  and  purity  was  required 
for  the  priesthood ;  a  lower  standard  was  to  be  applied 
to  the  people.  And  the  system  declaring  the  unclean- 
ness of  many  animals,  and  of  the  person  under  various 
conditions,  touched  at  countless  points  the  life  of 
society.  An  Israelite  who  was  unclean  for  one  or 
other  of  a  hundred  reasons  could  not  approach  the 
sanctuary.     He  had  his  portion  in  God  after  a  sense ; 

46 


v.]  DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION  47 


yet  for  a  time,  it  might  be  for  life,  the  peculiar  blessings 
of  holy  fellowship  were  denied  him.  He  could  cele- 
brate no  feast.  He  had  no  share  in  the  great  atone- 
ment. The  precautians  and  terms  to  be  observed  were 
of  such  a  nature  that  if  the  law  had  been  at  any  time 
stringently  enforced  a  very  large  percentage  of  the 
people  would  have  been  denied  access  to  the  altar. 

It  may  appear  a  strange  thing  that  the  precept,  *'  Ye 
shall  be  holy  ;  for  I  am  holy,"  was  affixed  not  only  to 
moral  duties  but  with  almost  the  same  force  to  cere- 
monial duties.  We  can  understand  this,  however, 
when  we  trace  the  result  of  the  priestly  ordinances. 
They  created  religious  care  and  feeling  ;  and  the  end 
was  gained  not  so  much  by  directing  attention,  as  we 
now  do,  to  faults  of  conduct,  defects  of  will,  sins  of 
injustice,  impurity,  intemperance,  and  the  like,  but  by 
keeping  up  a  scrupulous  attention  to  matters  not, 
properly  speaking,  either  moral  or  immoral,  not  ethical 
as  we  say,  which  were  yet  declared  to  be  of  moment 
in  religion.  The  moral  law  did  its  part.  But  to  make 
the  enforcement  of  moral  statutes,  many  of  which  bore 
on  desire  and  will,  the  only  means  of  urging  the  fear 
of  God,  would  have  resulted  practically  in  a  very  bare 
and  desultory  cultus.  Among  a  comparatively  rude 
people  like  the  Israelites  it  would  have  been  absurd  to 
institute  a  religion  consisting  of  "  morality  touched  by 
emotion.'^  For  the  mass  of  people  still  it  is  equally 
hopeless.  There  must  be  ordinances  of  prayer,  praise, 
sacrament,  and  the  duties  which  reach  Godward  through 
the  Church.  The  value  of  the  whole  ceremonial  system 
of  the  Mosaic  law  is  clear  from  this  point  of  view ;  and 
we  need  not  wonder  in  the  least  at  the  nature  of  many 
provisions  which,  without  grasp  of  the  principle,  we 
might  reckon  irksome  and  useless.     The  origin  of  some 


48  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  the  statutes  is  apparently  hygienic  ;  others  again 
reach  back  to  customs  and  beliefs  of  a  very  primitive 
world.  But  they  are  made  part  of  the  sacred  law  in 
order  to  enforce  the  conviction  that  the  judgment  of 
God  enters  into  the  whole  of  life,  follows  men  wherever 
they  go,  decides  as  to  their  state  with  relation  to  Him 
hour  by  hour,  almost  moment  by  momsnt.  The  cere- 
monial law  was  a  constant  and  strenuous  lesson  in 
regard  to  the  omnipresence  of  God,  and  the  oversight 
of  human  affairs  by  Him.  It  created  a  conscience  of 
God's  existence,  His  control.  His  superintendence  of 
each  life.  And  for  a  certain  stage  of  the  education 
of  Israel  this  could  be  achieved  in  no  other  way.  The 
moral  and  spiritual  progress  of  a  people,  depending  on 
the  recognition  of  the  authority  of  One  who  is  of  purer 
eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity,  depends  also,  of  necessity, 
on  the  senee  of  His  oversight  of  human  life  at  every 
point. 

I.  Exclusion  from  the  Camp 

Numbers  v.  1-4 

The  rigidness  of  the  law  which  excluded  lepers  from 
the  camp  and  afterwards  from  the  cities  had  its 
necessity  in  the  presumed  nature  of  their  disease. 
Leprosy  was  regarded  as  contagious,  and  practically 
incurable  by  any  medical  appliances,  requiring  to  be 
kept  in  check  by  strenuous  measures.  Care  for  the 
general  health  meant  hardship  to  the  lepers ;  but  this 
could  not  be  avoided.  From  friends  and  home  they 
were  sent  forth  to  live  together  as  best  they  might, 
and  spend  what  remained  of  life  in  almost  hopeless 
separation.  The  authority  of  Moses  is  attached  to 
the  statute  of  exclusion,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 


V.  1-4-]  DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION 


its  great  antiquity.  In  Leviticus  there  are  detailed 
enactments  regarding  the  disease,  some  of  which 
contemplate  its  decay  and  provide  for  the  restoration 
to  privilege  of  those  who  had  been  cured.  The 
ceremonies  were  complicated,  and  among  them  were 
sacrifices  to  be  offered  by  way  of  *'  atonement."  The 
leper  was  alienated  from  God,  severed  from  the 
congregation  as  one  guilty  in  the  eye  of  the  law 
(Lev.  xiv.  1 2) ;  and  there  can  be  no  wonder  that  with 
this  among  other  facts  before  him  the  writer  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  speaks  of  the  law  as  having 
a  mere  '*  shadow  of  the  good  things  to  come." 

And  yet,  in  view  of  the  malignant  nature  of  the 
disease  and  the  peril  it  caused  to  the  general  health, 
we  must  admit  the  wisdom  of  segregating  those  afflicted 
with  leprosy.  That  Israel  might  be  a  robust  people 
capable  of  its  destiny,  a  rule  like  this  was  needful. 
It  anticipated  our  modern  laws  made  in  harmony  with 
advanced  medical  science,  which  require  segregation  or 
isolation  in  cases  of  virulent  disease. 

It  has  been  affirmed  that  leprosy  was  from  the  first 
regarded  as  symbolic  of  moral  disease,  and  that  the 
legislation  was  from  this  point  of  view.  There  is, 
however,  no  evidence  to  support  the  theory.  Indeed 
the  conception  of  moral  evil  would  have  been  confused 
rather  than  helped  by  any  such  idea.  For  although 
evil  habits  taint  the  mind  and  vice  ruins  it  as  leprosy 
taints  and  destroys  the  body ;  although  the  infectious 
nature  of  sin  is  fitly  indicated  by  the  insidious  spread 
of  this  disease — one  point  in  which  there  is  no 
resemblance  would  make  the  symbol  dangerously 
misleading.  A  few  here  and  there  were  attacked  by 
leprosy,  and  these  with  their  blotched  disfigured 
bodies   were   easily   distinguished    from    the    healthy. 

4 


50  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


But  this  was  in  contrast  with  the  secret  moral  malady 
by  which  all  were  tainted.  The  teaching  that  leprosy 
is  a  type  of  sin  would  make,  not  for  morality,  but  for 
hypocrisy.  The  symptoms  of  a  bad  nature,  like  the 
signs  of  leprosy,  would  be  looked  for  and  found  by 
every  man  in  his  neighbour,  not  in  his  own  heart. 
The  hypocrite  would  be  encouraged  in  his  self- 
satisfaction  because  he  escaped  the  judgment  of  his 
fellow  men.  But  the  disease  of  sin  is  endemic, 
universal.  The  whole  congregation  was  by  reason 
of  that  excluded  from  the  sanctuary  of  God. 

According  to  the  idea  which  underlies  the  priest  law, 
leprosy  did  not  typify  sin ;  it  meant  sin.  In  no  single 
place,  indeed,  is  this  directly  affirmed.  Yet  the  belief 
connecting  bodily  afflictions  and  calamities  with  trans- 
gressions implied  it,  and  the  fact  that  guilt  offerings  had 
to  be  made  for  the  leper  when  he  was  cleansed.  Again, 
in  the  cases  of  Miriam,  of  Gehazi,  and  of  Uzziah,  the 
punishment  of  sin  was  leprosy.  Under  the  conditions 
of  climate  which  often  prevailed,  the  germs  of  this 
disease  might  rapidly  be  developed  by  excitement, 
especially  by  the  excitement  of  immoral  rashness. 
Here  we  may  find  the  connection  which  the  law 
assumes  between  leprosy  and  guilt,  and  the  origin  of 
the  statute  which  made  the  intervention  of  the  priests 
necessary.  In  their  poor  dwellings  beyond  camp  and 
city  wall  the  lepers  lay  under  a  double  reproach.  They 
were  not  only  tainted  in  body  but  appeared  as  sinners 
above  others,  men  on  whom  some  divine  judgment  had 
fallen,  as  the  very  name  of  their  disease  implied.  And 
not  till  One  came  who  did  not  fear  to  lay  His  hand  on 
the  leprous  flesh,  whose  touch  brought  healing  and  life, 
was  the  pressure  of  the  moral  condemnation  taken 
away.     Of  many  cases  of  leprosy  He  would  have  said, 


V.  I-4.J  DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION  5i 

as  of  the  blindness  He  cured  :  ''  Neither  did  this  man 
sin,  nor  his  parents." 

Now  is  the  law  to  be  charged  with  creating  a  class  of 
social  pariahs  ?  Is  there  any  reason  for  saying  that  in 
some  way  the  legislation  should  have  expressed  pity 
rather  than  the  rigour  which  appears  in  the  passage 
before  us  and  other  enactments  regarding  leprosy  ?  It 
would  be  easy  to  bring  arguments  which  would  seem  to 
prove  the  law  defective  here.  But  in  matters  of  this 
kind  civilization  and  Christian  culture  could  not  be 
forestalled.  What  was  possible,  what  in  the  conditions 
that  existed  could  be  carried  into  effect,  this  only  was 
commanded.  These  old  enactments  sprang  out  of  the 
best  wisdom  and  religion  of  the  age.  But  they  do  not 
represent  the  whole  of  the  Divine  will,  the  Divine  mercy, 
even  as  they  were  contemporaneously  revealed.  Add 
to  the  statutes  regarding  leprosy  the  other,  *'  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,"  and  those  that 
enjoined  kindness  to  the  poor  and  provision  for  their 
needs,  and  the  true  tenor  of  the  legislation  will  be 
understood.  According  to  these  laws  there  were  to  be 
no  pariahs  in  Israel.  It  was  a  sad  necessity  if  any 
were  excluded  from  the  congregation  of  God's  people. 
The  laws  of  brotherhood  would  insure  for  the  wretched 
colony  outside  the  camp  every  possible  consideration. 
Denied  access  to  God  in  festival  and  sacrifice,  the  lepers 
appealed  to  the  humane  feelings  of  the  people.  With 
their  pathetic  cry,  ''  Unclean,  unclean ! "  their  loose 
hair  and  rent  clothes,  they  confessed  a  miserable  state 
that  touched  every  heart.  As  time  went  on,  the  law 
of  segregation  was  interpreted  liberally.  Even  in  the 
synagogues  a  place  was  set  apart  for  the  lepers.  The 
kindly  disposition  promoted  by  the  Mosaic  institutions 
was  shown  thus,  and  in  many  other  ways. 


52  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

The  lepers  banished  outside  the  camp  remind  us  of 
those  who  have  for  no  wrong-doing  of  their  own  to 
endure  social  reproach.  Were  sometimes  good  men 
and  women  among  the  Hebrews,  men  with  kind  hearts, 
good  mothers  and  daughters,  attacked  by  this  disease 
and  compelled  to  betake  themselves  to  the  squalid  tents 
of  the  lepers  ?  That  decree  of  rigorous  precaution  is 
outdone  by  the  strange  fact  that  under  the  providence 
of  God,  in  His  world,  the  best  have  often  had  to 
undergo  opprobrium  and  cruelty ;  that  Jesus  Himself 
was  crucified  as  a  malefactor,  bore  the  curse  of  him 
that  ''  hangeth  upon  a  tree."  We  see  great  suffering 
which  is  not  due  to  moral  delinquency  ;  and  we  see  the 
sting  of  it  taken  quite  away.  The  stern  ordinances  of 
nature  have  light  thrown  upon  them  from  a  higher 
world.  *'  Himself  took  our  infirmities  and  bare  our 
sicknesses."  For  our  sakes  He  was  the  object  of 
brutal  mockery,  the  sufferer,  the  sacrifice. 

Besides  the  lepers  and  those  who  had  an  issue,  every 
one  who  was  unclean  by  reason  of  touching  a  dead 
body  was  to  be  excluded  from  the  camp.  This  pro- 
vision appears  to  rest  on  the  idea  that  death  Vv^as  no 
*'  debt  of  nature,"  but  unnatural,  the  result  of  the  curse 
of  God.  Associated,  however,  in  the  statute  before  us 
with  leprosy,  defilement  from  the  dead  may  have  been 
decreed  to  prevent  the  spread  of  disease.  Many  maladies 
too  well  known  to  us  have  an  infectious  character ;  and 
those  who  were  present  at  a  death  would  be  most 
exposed  to  their  influence.  Pathological  explanations 
do  not  by  any  means  account  for  all  the  kinds  and 
causes  of  defilement ;  but  exclusion  from  the  camp 
is  the  special  point  here ;  and  the  cases  may  be  classed 
together  as  having  a  common  origin.  The  notion  that 
some  demon  or  fallen  spirit  was  at  work  both  in  pro- 


V.  1-4.]  DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION  53 

duciiig  leprosy  and  in  causing  death,  was  involved  in 
the  customs  of  some  barbarous  tribes  and  entered  into 
the  beliefs  of  the  Egyptians  and  Assyrians.  This 
explanation,  however,  is  too  remote  and  alien  from 
Judaism  to  be  applied  to  these  statutes  regarding 
uncleanness,  at  least  in  the  form  they  have  in  the 
Mosaic  books.  The  few  hints  surviving  in  them,  as 
where  a  bird  was  to  be  allowed  to  fly  away  when  the 
leper  was  pronounced  cle^n,  cannot  be  permitted  to 
fix  a  charge  of  superstition  on  the  whole  code. 

A  singular  point  in  the  statute  regarding  uncleanness 
"  by  the  dead  "  is  that  the  word  ^^l  {nephesh)  stands 
apparently  for  the  dead  body.  Of  this  some  other 
explanation  is  needed  than  the  free  transference  of 
meanings  in  Hebrew.  Here  and  elsewhere  in  the 
Book  of  Numbers  (vi.  Ii;  ix.  6,  7,  10;  xix.  13),  as 
weH  as  in  various  passages  in  Leviticus,  defilement  is 
attributed  to  the  nephesh.  Commonly  the  word  means 
soul  or  animal  life-principle.  When  connected  with 
death  it  corresponds  to  our  word  "  ghost,"  as  in  Job  xi. 
20 ;  Jer.  xv.  9.  Now  the  law  was  that  not  only  those 
who  touched  a  dead  body,  but  all  present  in  a  house 
when  death  took  place  in  it,  were  unclean.  The 
question  occurs  whether  the  nephesh,  or  soul  escaping 
at  death,  was  believed  to  defile.  As  if  in  doubt  here 
a  rabbi  said,  "The  body  and  the  soul  may  plead 
successfull}^  not  guilty  by  charging  their  sinful  life  each 
upon  the  other.  The  body  may  say :  '  Since  that 
guilty  soul  parted  with  me,  I  have  been  lying  in  the 
grave  as  harmless  as  a  stone.'  The  soul  may  plead  : 
'  Since  that  depraved  body  separated  from  me,  I  flutter 
about  in  the  air  hke  an  innocent  bird.' "  Is  it  not 
possible  that  the  nephesh  meant  the  efQuvium  of  the 
dead   body,  the   active  element  which,  springing  from 


54  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

corruption,  diffused  uncleanness  through  the  whole 
house  of  death  ?  It  seems  quite  in  harmony  with 
other  uses  of  the  word,  and  with  the  idea  of  defilement, 
to  interpret  ^*  was  unclean  by  the  nepheshj^  '*  sinned  by 
the  nephesh^^  as  technical  expressions  carrying  this 
meaning.  The  passage  Numb.  xix.  13  is  peculiarly 
instructive — n•'ID>-T^^?  Dn^n  K^S^?  no^  V>:^r\-->'^ — ''  Every 
one  coming  in  contact  with  the  dead,  with  the  nephesh 
of  a  man  who  has  died."  To  translate,  *^  with  the 
corpse  of  a  man  who  has  died,"  would  fix  on  the 
language  the  fault  of  tautology.  In  Psalm  xvii.  9 
nephesh  has  the  meaning  of  deadly^  that  is  to  say 
breathing  death ;  and  the  idea  here  points  to  the 
meaning  suggested. 

The  reason  given  for  the  banishment  of  the  unclean 
is  the  presence  of  God  in  the  congregation — "That 
they  defile  not  their  camp,  in  the  midst  whereof  I 
dwell."  All  that  are  unhealthy,  and  those  who  have 
been  in  contact  with  death,  which  is  the  result  of 
irrem.ediable  disease  or  accident,  must  be  withdrawn 
from  the  precincts  that  belong  to  the  Holy  God. 
Human  maladies  are  in  contrast  with  the  Divine  health, 
death  is  in  contrast  to  the  Divine  life.  Here  the  whole 
scope  of  the  legislation  regarding  defilement  has  its 
highest  range  of  suggestion.  It  was  a  part  of  moral 
education  to  realise  that  God  was  separate  from  all 
distortion,  wasting,  and  decay.  In  glad  and  deathless 
power  He  reigned  in  the  midst  of  Israel.  From  the 
living  God  man  received  life  which  had  to  be  kept  pure 
and  disciplined.  Among  the  Egyptians  it  was  held 
to  be  sacrilege  when  the  operator,  in  the  process 
preparatory  to  embalming,  opened  a  human  body.  He 
who  made  the  incision  was  driven  out  of  the  room  by 
his  assistants  with  abuse  and  violence.     Quite  different 


V.5-I0.]  DEFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION  55 

is  the  idea  of  the  Mosaic  law  which  makes  the  holiness 
belong  entirely  to  God,  and  requires  of  men  the 
preservation  of  the  clean  life  He  has  given.  Every 
statute  suggests  that  there  is  a  tendency  in  the  creature 
to  fall  away  from  purity  and  become  unfit  for  fellowship 
with  the  Most  Holy. 

2.  Atonement  for  Trespass 

Numbers  v.   5-10 

The  enactment  of  this  passage  refers  to  the  sin  of 
theft  or  any  other  breach  of  the  eighth  commandment 
which  involved  trespass  not  only  against  man,  but  also 
against  God — ''  When  a  man  or  woman  shall  commit 
any  sin  that  men  commit  to  do  a  trespass  against  the 
Lord,  and  that  soul  be  guilty ;  then  shall  they  confess 
their  sin  which  they  have  done."  The  statute 
supplements  one  given  in  Lev.  vi.  1-4,  omitting  some 
details,  but  adding  the  provision  that  if  the  person 
defrauded  has  died,  restitution  shall  be  made  to  the 
goel,  and  if  there  is  no  surviving  relation,  to  the  priest. 
The  cases  specified  in  Leviticus  are  those  of  false 
dealing  in  regard  to  a  deposit  or  a  bargain,  robbery, 
oppression, — probably  in  the  way  of  withholding  hire 
from  a  labourer, — finding  what  was  lost  and  denying  it ; 
but  in  each  instance  false  swearing  is  added  to  the 
offence  and  constitutes  it  a  trespass  against  the  Lord. 
Restitution  to  man  must  be  made  by  returning  the 
amount  and  one-fifth  in  addition ;  to  God  by  bringing 
a  ram  without  blemish,  Vv^ith  which  the  priest  makes 
atonement. 

In  this  statute  the  punishment  does  not  seem  severe. 
But  the  penalty  is  imposed  after  confession  when  the 
offence   has    been    for   some    time    undetected.      The 


56  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


ordinary  law  required  for  the  theft  of  an  ox,  if  the 
animal  had  not  been  slaughtered,  double  restitution ; 
and  if  it  had  been  slaughtered  or  sold,  fivefold  restitu- 
tion. In  the  case  of  a  sheep  slaughtered  or  sold  the 
restitution  was  to  be  fourfold.  Confession  of  the 
theft,  according  to  the  present  statute,  diminishes 
the  penalty. 

Noticeable  particularly  is  the  provision  for  atonement, 
which  is  nowhere  else  admitted  in  connection  with  a 
serious  breach  of  the  moral  law.  Any  offence  against 
the  first  four  commandments  was  to  be  punished  with 
death  ;  so  also  v/ere  murder,  adultery,  and  certain 
other  crimes.  It  might  have  been  expected  that  false 
swearing  by  any  one  in  regard  to  theft  or  valuables 
intrusted  to  him  would  add  to  his  guilt.  Here, 
however,  by  means  of  the  ram  of  atonement  even  that 
offence  is  apparently  expiated.  Possibly  the  confession 
is  held  to  mitigate  the  crime.  Still  the  nature  of  the 
statute.ls  surprising  and  exceptional. 

3.  The  Water  of  Jealousy 

Numbers  v.   11-31 

The  long  and  remarkable  statute  regarding  the 
water  of  jealousy  seems  to  have  been  interposed  to 
prevent,  by  means  of  an  ordeal,  that  cruel  practice  of 
peremptory  divorce  which  had  been  in  vogue  at  some 
period  among  the  Hebrews.  The  position  given  to 
woman  by  the  old  customs  must  have  been  exceedingly 
low.  Under  polygamy  a  wife  was  in  constant  danger 
of  suspicions  and  accusations  she  had  no  means  of 
removing.  The  whole  scope  of  this  enactment  and 
the  means  used  for  deciding  between  the  husband 
and    a    suspected    wife    point    to    the    frequency    and 


V.  11-31.]  D'EFILEMENT  AND  PURGATION  57 


general  groundlessness  of  charges  made  by  men  in  the 
*^  hardness  of  their  hearts,"  or  by  other  women  in 
the  hardness  of  theirs. 

The  ordeal  to  which  the  wife  was  to  be  subjected 
was  twofold.  One  point  was  the  imprecation  of  the 
Divine  curse  upon  herself  if  she  had  been  guilty.  This 
oath  was  administered  in  terms  and  with  ceremonies 
fitted  to  produce  the  most  profound  impression.  She 
is  set  "  before  the  Lord " — probably  in  the  court  of 
the  sanctuary.  Her  hair  is  loose.  She  has  the 
offering  of  jealousy  in  her  hand — the  tenth  part  of  an 
ephah  of  barley-meal.  The  priest  holds  a  basin  of 
the  "water  of  jealousy."  The  terms  of  the  curse  with 
its  frightful  consequences  are  not  only  repeated  in  her 
hearing,  but  written  on  a  scroll  which  is  dropped  into 
the  water.  The  second  thing  is  her  drinking  of  the 
"water  of  jealousy,"  "holy  water"  mingled  with  dust 
from  the  floor  of  the  sanctuary,  and  with  the  terms  of 
the  curse.  The  nature  of  the  ordeal  was  such  that 
few  guilty  persons  would  have  braved  it.  The  only 
thing  which  appears  wanting  is  a  provision  for  the 
punishment  of  the  man  whose  wife  had  passed  the 
terrible  test.  Since  the  punishment  of  this  crime  was 
death,  and  he  made  the  accusation  without  cause,  his 
own  judgment  should  have  followed.  Here,  however, 
deference  had  to  be  paid  to  the  notions  of  the  time, 
as  our  Lord  clearly  indicates.  The  absolute  right, 
the  just  equality  between  husband  and  wife,  could  not 
be  established.  Nor  indeed,  with  all  our  progress,  is  it 
yet  secured. 

The  ordeal  of  the  water  of  jealousy  must  have  saved 
many  an  innocent  life  from  wreck.  In  one  sense  it 
was  part  of  a  system  designed  to  maintain  a  high 
standard  of  morality,  and  in  that  system  it  had  a  place 


58  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

which  at  the  time  could  not  be  filled  in  any  other  way. 
The  main  stress  lies  on  the  oath  of  purgation ;  and  to 
the  present  day  in  certain  ecclesiastical  courts  this  is 
in  use  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  to  an  end  processes 
not  otherwise  capable  of  solution.  It  must  be  noted 
that  our  marriage  laws,  lax  as  they  are  thought  to  be, 
do  not  give  to  a  husband  anything  like  the  power  or 
allow  divorce  with  anything  like  the  facility  admitted 
by  the  Mosaic  law  as  some  of  the  Rabbis  interpreted 
it.  And  this  ordeal  was  of  such  a  nature  that  if  those 
in  use  throughout  Europe  only  a  century  ago  or 
thereby,  in  the  trial  of  witches  for  instance,  be  com- 
pared with  it,  we  can  at  once  see  its  superiority. 
Those  barbarous  tests,  not  used  by  the  vulgar  alone, 
but  by  religious  men  and  Church  authorities,  made 
escape  from  false  accusation  next  to  impossible.  Here 
there  is  absolutely  nothing  required  which  could  in 
any  sense  injure  or  imperil  an  innocent  woman.  She 
might  take  her  oath,  see  it  written,  and  drink  the  water 
without  the  least  fear  or  hesitation.  The  beneficence 
of  the  law  is  strongly  marked  along  with  its  wisdom. 
It  was  a  wonderful  provision  for  the  time. 


NAZIRITISM:    THE  BLESSING  OF  AARON 
Numbers  vi 

I.  '"T^HE  custom  of  Naziritism,  which  tended  to  form 
X  a  semi-reUgious  caste,  is  obscure  in  its  origin. 
The  cases  of  Samson  and  Samuel  imply  that  before 
birth  some  were  bound  in  terms  of  this  vow  by  their 
parents.  In  the  passage  before  us  nothing  whatever  is 
said  as  to  the  reasons  which  the  law  recognised  for  the 
practice  of  Naziritism.  We  may  believe,  however,  that 
it  was  from  the  first,  like  many  votive  customs,  dis- 
tinctly rehgious.  One  who  had  been  delivered  from 
some  danger  or  restored  to  health  might  adopt  this 
method  of  showing  his  thankfulness  to  God.  It  is 
impossible  to  connect  Naziritism  with  any  sacerdotal 
duty.  A  man  under  the  vow  had  no  function,  no 
privilege,  that  in  the  least  approached  that  of  the  priest. 
Nor  can  we  trace  any  parallel  between  the  Nazirite 
rule  and  that  of  the  fakirs  of  India  or  the  dervishes  of 
Egypt  and  Arabia,  whose  poverty  is  their  mark  of 
consecration.  There  is,  however,  some  resemblance  to 
the  vow  of  the  Arab  pilgrim,  who,  on  his  way  to  the 
holy  place,  must  not  cut  or  dress  his  hair,  and  must 
abstain  from  bloodshed.  The  prophet  Amos  (ii.  ii) 
claims  that  God  had  raised  up  young  men  to  be  Nazi- 
rites,  and  he  places  their  influence  almost  on  a  level 

59 


6o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

with  that  of  the  prophets  as  a  means  of  blessmg  to  the 
people.  We  may  beHeve,  therefore,  that  they  helped 
both  morality  and  religion ;  and  the  conditions  of  their 
vow  seem  to  have  given  them  fine  bodily  health  and 
personal  appearance. 

When  the  Nazirite  vow  was  undertaken  for  a  term, 
say  thirty,  sixty,  or  a  hundred  days,  the  law  assumed 
its  rehgious  character,  prescribed  the  conditions  to  be 
observed,  the  means  of  removing  accidental  defilement, 
and  the  ceremonies  to  be  performed  when  the  period 
of  separation  closed.  Any  man  might  devote  himself 
without  appealing  to  the  priest  or  going  through  any 
religious  rite  ;  and  in  general  his  own  conscience  was 
depended  on  to  make  him  rigidly  attentive  to  his  vow. 
There  was  to  be  no  monastic  association  of  Nazirites, 
no  formal  watch  kept  over  their  conduct.  They 
mingled  with  others  in  ordinary  life,  and  went  about 
their  business  as  at  other  times.  But  the  unshorn 
hair  distinguished  them ;  they  felt  that  the  eye  of  God 
as  well  as  the  eyes  of  men  were  upon  them,  and 
walked  warily  under  the  sense  of  their  pledge.  The 
discharge  which  had  to  be  given  by  the  priest  was 
a  further  check  ;  it  would  have  been  withheld  if  any 
charge  of  laxity  had  been  made  against  the  Nazirite. 
The  ceremonies  of  release  were  of  a  kind  fitted  to 
attract  general  attention. 

The  modern  pledge  of  abstinence  bears  in  various 
points  resemblance  to  the  Nazirite  vow.  We  can 
easily  believe  that  indulgence  in  strong  drink  was  one 
of  the  principal  sins  against  which  Naziritism  testified. 
And  as  in  ancient  Israel  that  body  of  abstainers  from 
the  fruit  of  the  vine,  honourably  known  as  a  caste, 
acknowledged  by  the  Divine  law,  formed  a  constant 
check  on    intemperance,  so    the   existence    of  a   large 


vi.]         NAZIRITISM :    THE  BLESSING   OF  AARON  6i 

class  among  ourselves,  bound  to  abstinence,  aids  most 
effectually  in  restraining  the  drinking  customs  of  the 
present  age.  When  we  add  to  the  approval  of 
Naziritism  which  is  before  us  here  the  fact  that 
priests  in  the  discharge  of  their  ministry  were  required 
to  forego  the  use  of  wine,  the  sanction  of  Hebrew 
legislation  on  its  moral  side  may  certainly  be  claimed 
for  the  total  abstinence  pledge.  No  doubt  the  circum- 
stances differ  greatly.  Wine  was  the  common  beverage 
in  Palestine.  It  was  in  general  so  slightly  intoxicating 
that  the  use  of  it  brought  little  temptation.  But  our 
distilled  liquors  and  fermented  drinks  are  so  strongly 
alcoholic,  so  dangerous  to  health  and  morals,  that  the 
argument  for  abstinence  is  now  immensely  greater  than 
it  was  among  the  Hebrews.  Not  only  as  an  example 
of  self-restraint,  but  as  a  safeguard  against  constant 
peril,  the  pledge  of  abstinence  deservedly  enjoys  the 
sanction  of  the  Churches  of  Christ. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  pledge  of  the  total  abstainer, 
like  the  vow  of  the  Nazirite,  carries  with  it  a  certain 
moral  danger.  One  who,  having  come  voluntarily 
under  such  a  pledge,  allows  himself  to  break  it,  suffers 
a  serious  loss  of  spiritual  power.  The  abstainer,  like 
the  Nazirite,  is  his  own  witness,  his  own  judge.  But 
if  his  pledge  has  been  sacredly  undertaken,  solemnly 
made,  any  breach  of  it  is  an  offence  to  conscience,  a 
denial  of  obligation  to  God  which  must  react  on  the 
will  and  life.  It  was  not  by  using  strong  drink  that 
Samson  broke  his  vow  of  Naziritism,  but  in  a  far  less 
serious  manner — by  allowing  his  hair  to  be  cut  off. 
Still  his  case  is  an  instructive  parable.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  passed  from  him  ;  he  became  weak  as  other 
men,  the  prey  of  his  enemies.  The  mxan  who  has  come 
under    the    bond    of  total    abstinence,   especially  in   a 


62  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

religious  way,  and  breaks  it,  becomes  weaker  than 
others.  To  confess  his  fault  and  resume  his  resolution 
may  not  lift  him  up  again.  The  will  is  less  capable, 
the  sense  of  sacredness  less  imperative  and  potent. 

It  is  hard  to  say  why  the  peculiar  defilement  caused 
by  touching  a  dead  body  or  being  present  at  a  death 
is  that  alone  on  which  special  attention  is  fixed  in  the 
Nazirite  law  (vi.  9^.).  One  would  have  expected  the 
other  offence  of  using  wine  to  be  dealt  with  rather 
than  mere  accidents,  so  to  speak.  We  can  see  that 
the  law  as  it  stands  is  one  of  many  that  must  have 
preceded  the  prophetic  period.  If  Amos,  for  example, 
had  influenced  the  nature  of  the  legislation  regarding 
Naziritism,  it  would  have  been  in  the  direction  of 
making  drunkenness  rather  than  ceremonial  unclean- 
ness  a  special  point  in  the  statutes.  From  beginning 
to  end  of  his  prophecy  he  makes  no  distinct  reference 
to  ceremonial  defilement.  But  injustice,  intemperance, 
disaffection  to  Jehovah,  are  constantly  and  vehemently 
denounced.  Hosea,  again,  does  refer  to  unclean  food, 
the  necessity  of  eating  which  would  be  part  of  Israel's 
punishment  in  exile.  But  he  too,  unless  in  this  casual 
reference,  is  a  moralist — cares  nothing,  so  far  as  his 
language  goes,  for  the  contact  with  dead  bodies  or 
any  other  ceremonial  defilement.  Judging  a  Nazirite, 
he  would  certainly  have  regarded  sobriety  and  purity 
of  life  as  the  tests  of  consecration — drunkenness  and 
neglect  of  God  as  the  sins  that  deserved  punishment. 
Hosea's  condemnation  of  Israel  is  :  ''  They  have  left 
off"  to  take  heed  to  Jehovah.  Whoredom  and  wine 
and  new  wine  take  away  the  understanding."  In 
Ezekiel,  whose  schemes  of  worship  and  of  priestly 
work  are  declared  to  have  been  the  origin  of  the 
Priests'  Code,  the  same  tendency  is  to  be  found.     He 


vi.j         NAZmiTISM :    THE  BLESSING   OF  AARON         63 

has  a  passage  regarding  unclean  foods,  which  assumes 
the  existence  of  statutes  on  the  subject.  But  as  a 
legislator  he  is  not  concerned  with  ceremonial  trans- 
gressions, the  defilement  caused  by  dead  bodies,  and 
the  like.  Take  into  account  the  whole  of  his  prophecy, 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  the  new  heart  and  the  right 
spirit  are  for  Ezekiel  the  main  things,  and  the  worship 
of  the  temple  he  describes  is  to  be  that  of  a  people  not 
ceremonially  consecrated,  but  spiritually  pure,  and  so  in 
moral  unity  with  God.  He  adopts  the  old  forms  of 
worship  along  with  the  priesthood,  but  his  desire  is 
to  give  the  ritual  an  ethical  basis  and  aim. 

The  statute  which  applies  to  the  discharge  of  the 
Nazirite  from  his  rule  (vi.  13-21)  is  exceedingly 
detailed,  and  contains  provisions  which  on  the  whole 
seem  fitted  to  deter  rather  than  encourage  the  vow. 
The  Nazirite  could  not  escape  from  obligation  as  he 
had  entered  upon  it,  without  priestly  intervention  and 
mediation.  He  had  to  offer  an  oblation, — one  he- 
lamb  of  the  first  year  for  a  burnt  offering ;  one  ewe- 
lamb  of  the  first  year  for  a  sin  offering ;  and  for  peace 
offerings  a  ram,  with  a  basket  of  unleavened  bread, 
cakes  of  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil,  unleavened  wafers 
anointed  with  oil ;  and  meal  offerings  and  drink 
offerings.  These  had  to  be  presented  by  the  priest 
in  the  prescribed  manner.  In  addition  to  the  possible 
cost  of  repeated  cleansings  which  might  be  needful 
during  the  period  of  separation,  the  expense  of  those 
offerings  must  have  been  to  many  in  a  humble  station 
almost  prohibitory.  We  cannot  help  concluding  that 
under  this  law,  at  whatever  time  it  prevailed,  Naziritism 
became  the  privilege  of  the  more  wealthy.  Those  who 
took  the  vow  under  the  appointed  conditions  must 
have  formed  a  kind  of  puritan  aristocracy. 


64  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


The  final  ceremonies  included  burning  of  the  hair, 
which  was  carefully  removed  at  the  door  of  the  tent  of 
meeting.  It  was  to  be  consumed  in  the  fire  under  the 
peace  offering,  the  idea  being  that  the  obligation  of  the 
vow  and  perhaps  its  sanctity  had  been  identified  with 
the  flowing  locks.  The  last  rite  of  all  was  similar  to 
that  used  in  the  consecration  of  priests.  The  sodden 
shoulder  of  the  ram,  an  unleavened  cake,  and  an 
unleavened  wafer  were  to  be  placed  on  the  hands  of 
the  Nazirite,  and  waved  for  a  wave  offering  before  the 
Lord — thereafter,  with  other  parts  of  the  sacrifice,  falling 
to  the  priest.  After  that  the  man  might  drink  wine, 
perhaps  in  a  formal  way  at  the  close  of  the  ceremonies. 

To  explain  this  elaborate  ritual  of  discharge  it  has 
been  affirmed  that  the  idea  of  the  vow  *'  culminated 
in  the  sacrificial  festival  which  terminated  the  conse- 
cration, and  in  this  attained  to  its  fullest  manifestation." 
If  this  were  so,  ritualism  was  indeed  predominant.  To 
make  such  tlie  underlying  thought  is  to  declare  that 
the  abstinence  of  the  Nazirite  from  strong  drink  and 
dainties,  to  which  a  moralist  would  attach  most  im- 
portance, was  in  the  eye  of  the  law  nothing  compared 
to  the  symbolic  feasting  with  God  and  the  sacerdotal 
functions  of  the  final  ceremony.  Far  more  readily 
would  we  assume  that  the  ritual  of  the  discharge  was 
superfluously  added  to  the  ancient  law  at  a  time  when 
the  hierarchy  was  in  the  zenith  of  its  power.  But,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  the  final  rites  were  of  a  kind 
fitted  to  direct  public  attention  to  the  vow,  and  may 
have  had  their  use  chiefly  in  preventing  any  careless 
profession  of  Naziritism,  tending  to  bring  it  into 
contempt. 

One  other  question  still  demands  consideration : 
What  was  meant  by  the  *^  sin  offering  "  which  had  to 


vi.]  NAZIRITISM :    THE  BLESSING   OF  AARON  65 

be  presented  by  the  Nazirite  when  he  had  uninten- 
tionally incurred  uncleanness,  and  the  sin  offering 
which  had  to  be  offered  at  the  time  of  his  discharge — 
what,  in  short,  was  the  idea  of  sin  to  which  this  oblation 
corresponded  ?  The  case  of  the  Nazirite  is  peculiarly 
instructive,  for  the  point  to  be  considered  is  seen  here 
entirely  free  from  complications.  The  Nazirite  does 
not  undertake  the  obligation  of  his  vow  as  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  wrong  he  has  done,  nor  does  he  place 
himself  under  any  moral  disadvantage  by  assuming  it. 
There  is  no  reason  why  in  becoming  a  Nazirite  or 
ceasing  to  be  a  Nazirite  he  should  appear  as  a 
transgressor  ;  rather  is  he  honouring  God  by  what  he 
does.  Suppose  he  has  been  present  at  a  death  which 
has  unexpectedly  taken  place — that  involves  no  moral 
fault  by  which  a  man's  conscience  should  be  burdened. 
DeHberately  to  touch  a  dead  body  might,  under  the 
law,  have  brought  the  sense  of  wrongdoing ;  but  to 
be  casually  in  a  defiled  house  could  not.  Yet  an 
atonement  was  necessary  (vi.  ii).  It  is  expressly 
said  that  a  sin  offering  and  a  burnt  offering  must  be 
presented  to  "make  atonement  for  him,  for  that  he 
sinned  by  reason  of  the  dead."  And  again,  when  he 
has  kept  the  terms  of  his  vow  to  the  last,  honouring 
Jehovah  .by  his  devotion,  commending  morality  by 
his  abstinence,  maintaining  more  rigidly  than  other 
Israelites  the  idea  of  consecration  to  Jehovah,  he 
cannot  be  released  from  his  obligation  till  a  sin- 
offering  is  made  for  him.  There  is  no  moral  offence 
to  be  expiated.  Rather,  to  judge  in  an  ordinary  human 
way,  he  has  carried  obedience  farther  than  his  fellow- 
Israelites. 

The  whole  circumstances  show  that  the  sin  offering 
has  no  reference  to  moral  pollution.     The  idea  is  not 

5 


66  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

. e« 

that  of  removing  a  shadow  from  the  conscience,  but 
taking  away  a  taint  of  the  flesh,  or,  in  certain  cases, 
of  the  mind  which  has  become  aware  of  some  occult 
injury.  A  clear  division  was  made  between  the  moral 
and  the  immoral ;  and  it  was  assumed  that  all  Israelites 
were  keeping  the  moral  commandments  of  the  law. 
Then  moral  persons  were  divided  into  those  who  were 
clean  and  those  who  were  unclean  ;  and  the  ceremonial 
law  alone  determined  the  conditions  of  undefiled  and 
acceptable  life.  If  the  law  declared  that  a  sin  offering 
was  necessary,  it  meant  not  that  there  had  been  im- 
morahty,  but  that  some  specified  or  unspecified  taint 
lay  upon  a  man.  No  doubt  there  were  principles 
according  to  which  the  law  was  framed.  But  they 
might  not  be  apparent ;  and  no  man  could  claim  to 
have  them  explained.  Now  with  regard  to  Naziritism, 
the  idea  was  that  of  a  vivid  and  pure  form  of  Hfe  to 
which  a  man  might  attain  if  he  would  discipline 
himself.  And  it  seems  to  have  been  understood  that 
in  returning  from  this  to  the  common  hfe  of  the  race 
an  apology,  so  to  speak,  had  to  be  made  to  Jehovah 
and  to  religion.  The  higher  range  of  life  during  the 
term  of  separation  was  peculiarly  sensitive  to  invasions 
of  earthly  circumstance,  and  especially  of  the  defilement 
caused  by  death  ;  and  for  anything  of  this  sort  there 
was  needed  more  than  apology,  more  than  trespass- 
offering.  The  Nazirite  going  back  to  ordinary  life 
was  regarded  in  more  senses  than  one  as  a  sinner. 
The  conditions  of  his  vow  had  been  difficult  to  keep, 
and,  presumably,  had  been  broken.  He  was  all  the 
more  under  the  suspicion  of  defilement  that  he  had  un- 
dertaken special  obligations  of  purity.  A  peculiar  form 
of  mysticism  is  involved  here,  an  effort  of  humanity 
to  reach  transcendental  holiness.     And  the  law  seemed 


vi.]         NAZIRITISM :    THE  BLESSING  OF  AARON         67 


to  give  up  each  experiment  with  a  sigh.  In  the  story 
of  Samson  we  have  only  the  popular  pictorial  elements 
of  Naziritism.  The  statutes  convey  hints  of  deeper 
thought  and  feeling. 

Generally  speaking  the  whole  system  of  purification 
enjoined  by  the  ceremonial  law,  the  constant  succession 
of  cleansings  and  sacrifices,  must  have  appeared  to  be 
arbitrary.  But  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
there  was  no  esoteric  meaning,  no  purpose  beyond 
that  of  keeping  up  the  sense  of  religious  duty  and  the 
need  of  mediation.  Some  intangible  defilement  seems 
to  have  been  associated  with  everything  mundane, 
everything  human.  The  aim  was  to  represent  sanctity 
of  -a  transcendent  kind,  the  nature  of  which  no  words 
could  express,  for  which  the  shedding  of  blood  alone 
supplied  a  sufficiently  impressive  symbol. 

2.  The  blessing  which  the  priests  were  commissioned 
to  pronounce  on  the  people  (vi.  24-26)  was  in  the 
following  terms  : — 

"Jehovah  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee: 
Jehovah  make  His  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto 

thee: 
Jehovah  lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace." 

By  means  of  this  threefold  benediction  the  name  of  . 
Jehovah  was  to  be  put  upon  the  children  of  Israel — that  j 
is  to  say,  their  consecration  to  Him  as  His  accepted 
flock  and  their  enjoyment  of  His  covenant  grace  were 
to  be  signified.  In  a  sense  the  invocation  of  this 
blessing  was  the  highest  function  of  the  priest :  he 
became  the  channel  of  spiritual  endowment  in  which 
the  whole  nation  shared. 

It  is  a  striking  fact  that  the  distinctive  ideas  conveyed 


68  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

K  in    the    three   portions  of  the    blessing — Preservation,. 

■(    Enhghtenment,   Peace — bear  a  relation,   by   no    means 

/    fanciful,  to  the  work  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 

I    Holy  Spirit.     First  are  invoked  the  providential  care 

I    and  favour  of  God,  as  Ruler  of  the  universe,  Arbiter 

\    among  the  nations,  Source  of  creaturely  life,  Upholder 

\   of  human    existence.      Israel   as    a   whole,    and   each 

I  individual   Israelite  as   a  member  of  the  sacred  com- 

\  munity,  should   in    terms    of  the   covenant  enjoy    the 

j  guardianship  of  the  Almighty.     The  idea  is  expanded 

in  Psalm  cxxi.  : — 

»\        "Jehovah  is  thy  keeper: 

Jehovah  is  thy  shade  upon  thy  right  hand. 

The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day, 

Nor  the  moon  by  night. 

Jehovah  shall  keep  thee  from  all  evil ; 

He  shall  keep  thy  soul. 

Jehovah  shall  keep  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in, 

From  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore." 

And  in  almost  every  Psalm  the  theme  oi  Divine  pre- 
servation is  touched  on  either  in  thanksgiving,  prayer, 
or  exultant  hope. 

"For  God  will  save  Zion,  and  build  the  cities  of  Judah ; 
Q.  And  they  shall  abide  there,  and  have  it  in  possession. 

The  seed  also  of  His  servants  shall  inherit  it ; 
And  they  that  love  His  name  shall  dv^^ell  therein." 

Often  sorely  pressed  by  the  nations  around,  their  land 
made  the  battle-field  of  empires,  the  Hebrews  could 
comfort  themselves  with  the  assurance  that  Jehovah  of 
Hosts  was  with  them,  that  the  God  of  Jacob  was 
their  refuge.  And  each  son  of  Abraham  had  his  own 
portion  in  the  blessing. 

"  I  will  say  of  Jehovah,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress, 
My  God  in  whom  I  trust." 


vi.]         NAZIRITISM:    THE  BLESSING   OF  AARON  69 

The  keynote  of  joyful  confidence  in  the  unseen  King 
was  struck  in  the  benediction  which,  pronounced  by 
Aaron  and  by  the  high-priests  after  him,  associated 
Israel's  safety  with  obedience  to  all  the  laws  and  forms 
of  religion. 

The  second  member  of  the  blessing  indicates  under  \    \l, 
the  figure  of  the  shining  of  Jejiovah's  face  the  revela-    ! 
tion    of    enlightening    truth.       Here    are    implied    the    j 
unfolding   of  God's   character,    the    kindly    disclosure  / 
of  His  will  in  promise  and  prophecy,  the  opening  to/ 
the  minds  of  men  of  those  high  and  abiding  laws  that 
govern  their  destiny.     There  is  a  forth-shining  of  the 
Divine   countenance  which  troubles   and    dismays    the 
human  heart :  "  The  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them 
that  do  evil."     But  here  is  denoted  that  gracious  radi-/ 
ance  which  came  to  its  fulness  in  Christ.     And  of  this 
Divine  shining  Jacob  Boehme  writes  :  "  As  the  sun  in  /  >^ 
the  visible  world  ruleth  over  evil  and  good,  and  with  its  \ 
light  and  power  and  all  whatsoever  itself  is,  is  present   \ 
everywhere,  and  penetrates  every  being,  and  yet  in  its    \ 
image-like   [symbolic]  form  doth    not  withdraw  again 
to  itself  with  its  efflux,  but  wholly  giveth  itself  into 
every  being,  and  yet  ever  remaineth  whole,  and  nothing 
of  its  being  goeth  away  therewith  :  thus  also  it  is  to  be 
understood  concerning  Christ's  power  and  office  which 
ruleth  in  the  inward  spiritual  world  visibly,  and  in  the 
outward  world  invisibly,  and  throughly  penetrateth  the 
faithful  man's  soul,  spirit,  and  heart.  .  .  .  And  as  the  sun 
worketh  through  and  through  an  herb  so  that  the  herb 
becometh  solar  (or  filled  with  the  virtue  of  the  sun,  and 
as  it  were  so  converted   by  the  sun  that  it  becometh 
wholly  of  the  nature  of  the  sun)  :  so  Christ  ruleth  in 
the  resigned  will  in  soul  and  body  over  all  evil  inclina- 
tions, over  Satan's  introduced  lust,  and  generateth  the 


70  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


man  to  be  a  new  heavenly  creature  and  wholly  floweth 
into  him."^ 

For  the  Hebrew  people  that  shining  of  the  face  of 
God  became  spiritual  and  potent  for  salvation  less 
through  the  law,  the  priesthood,  and  the  ritual,  than 
through  psalm  and  prophecy.  Of  the  revelation  of  the 
law  Paul  says,  "  The  ministration  of  death  written  and 
engraven  on  stones  came  with  glory,  so  that  the  children 
of  Israel  could  not  look  steadfastly  upon  the  face  of 
Moses,  for  the  glory  of  his  face."  With  such  holy  and 
awful  brightness  did  God  appear  in  the  law,  that  Moses 
had  to  cover  his  face  from  which  the  splendour  was 
reflected.  But  the  psalmist,  pressing  towards  the  light 
with  fine  spiritual  boldness  and  humility,  could  say, 
*'  When  Thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  My  face  ;  my  heart  said 
unto  Thee,  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek  "  (Psalm  xxvii.  8)  ; 
and  again,  ''  Turn  us  again,  O  God  of  hosts,  and  cause 
Thy  face  to  shine ;  and  we  shall  be  saved  "  (Psalm 
Ixxx.  7).  And  in  an  oracle  of  Isaiah  (liv.  8),  Jehovah 
says,  **  In  overflowing  wrath  I  hid  My  face  from  thee 
for  a  moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  shall  I 
have  mercy  on  thee." 

i  In  the  third  clause  of  the  benediction  the  peace  of 
/God,  that  calm  of  mind,  conscience,  and  life  which 
\  accompanies  salvation,  is  invoked.  From  the  trouble 
and  sorrow  and  tumult  of  existence,  from  the  fear  of 
hostile  power,  from  evil  influences  seen  and  unseen,  the 
Divine  hand  will  give  salvation.  It  seems  indeed  to  be 
the  meaning  that  the  gracious  regard  of  God  is  enough. 
Are  His  people  in  affliction  and  anxiety?  Jehovah's 
look  will  deliver  them.  They  will  feel  calmly  safe  as 
if  a   shield    were    interposed    between   them    and    the 

*   "Concerning  the  Holy  Baptism,"  chap.  i. 


vi.]  NAZIRITISM :    THE  BLESSING   OF  AARON  71 

keen  arrows  of  jealousy  and  hatred.  *^  In  covert  of 
Thy  presence  shalt  Thou  hide  them  from  the  plottings 
of  man  :  Thou  shalt  keep  them  secretly  in  a  pavilion 
from  the  strife  of  tongues."  Their  tranquillity  is  de- 
scribed by  Isaiah  :  ''  In  righteousness  shalt  thou  be 
established :  thou  shalt  be  far  from  oppression,  for 
thou  shalt  not  fear ;  and  from  terror,  for  it  shall  not 
come  near  thee  ...  no  weapon  that  is  formed  against 
thee  shall  prosper;  and  every  tongue  that  shall 
.se  against  thee  in  judgment  thou  shalt  condemn. 
This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and 
their  righteousness  which  is  of  Me,  saith  the  Lord." 

The  peace  of  the  human  soul  is  not,  however,  entirely 
provided  for  by  the  assurance  of  Divine  protection  from 
hostile  force.  A  man  is  not  in  perfect  tranquillity 
because  he  belongs  to  a  nation  or  a  church  defended 
by  omnipotence.  His  own  troubles  and  fears  are  the 
main  causes  of  unrest.  And  the  Spirit  of  God,  who 
cleanses  and  renews  the  soul,  is  the  true  Peace-giver. 
"  To  win  true  peace  a  man  needs  to  feel  himself  directed, 
pardoned,  and  sustained  by  a  supreme  power,  to  feel 
himself  in  the  right  road,  at  the  point  where  God  would 
have  him  to  be — in  order  with  God  and  the  universe." 
In  his  heart  the  note  of  harmony  must  be  struck  deep 
and  true,  in  profound  reconciliation  and  unity  with 
God.  With  this  in  view  the  oracles  of  Ezekiel  connect 
renewal  and  peace.  ''  I  will  put  My  Spirit  in  you,  and 
ye  shall  live  ...  I  will  make  a  covenant  of  peace  with 
them  ;  it  shall  be  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them 
.  .  .  and  I  will  set  My  sanctuary  in  the  midst  of  them 
for  evermore." 

The  protection  of  God  the  Father,  the  grace  and 
truth  of  the  Son,  the  comfort  and  peace  of  the  Spirit — 
were  these,  then,  implied  in  Israel's  religion  and  included 


72  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

in  this  blessing  of  Aaron?     Germinally,  at  least,  they  I 
were.    The  strain  of  unity  running  through  the  Old  and  ? 
New  Testaments  is  heard  here  and  in  the  innumerable 
passages  that  may  be  grouped  along  with  the  threefold 
benediction.     The    work    of  Christ,   as    Revealer   and  i 
Saviour,  did  not  begin  when  He  appeared  in  the  flesh.  | 
As  the  Divine  Word  He  spoke  by  every  prophet  and  / 
through  the  priest  to  the  silent  congregations  age  after/ 
age.     Nor  did  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  arise  on  \ 
the  world  Hke  a  new  light  on  that  day  of  Pentecost  1 
when   the   disciples  of  Christ  were  gathered  in   their  1 
upper   chamber   and    the    tongues    of  fire  were    seen.  1 
There  were   those  even  in  the   old   Hebrew  days   on  w 
whom  the  Spirit  was  poured  from  on  high,  with  whom  ] 
^'judgment  dwelt  in  the  wilderness,  and  righteousness  i 
in  the  fruitful  field  :  and  the  work  of  righteousness  was 
peace,  and   the  effect  of  righteousness    quietness  and 
assurance  for  ever."     He  who  is  our  peace  came  in  the 
appointed   time    to  fill  with    eternal  meaning    the    old 
benedictions,  and  set  our  assurance  on  the  immovable 
rock  of  His  own  sacrifice  and  power. 


VI 

SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER 
I.  The  Offerings  of  the  Princes 

Numbers  vii  . 

THE  opening  verses  of  the  chapter  seem  to  imply 
that  immediately  after  the  erection  of  the  taber- 
nacle the  gifts  of  the  princes  were  brought  by  way  of 
thank  offering.  The  note  of  time,  '*  on  the  day  that 
Moses  had  made  an  end  of  setting  up  the  tabernacle," 
appears  very  precise.  It  has  been  made  a  difficulty 
that,  according  to  the  narrative  of  Exodus,  a  con- 
siderable time  had  elapsed  since  the  work  was  finished. 
But  this  account  of  the  oblations  of  the  princes,  like 
a  good  many  other  ancient  records  incorporated  in  the 
present  book,  has  a  place  given  it  from  the  desire  to 
include  everything  that  seemed  to  belong  to  the  time 
of  the  wilderness.  All  incidents  could  not  be  arranged 
in  consecutive  order,  because,  let  us  suppose,  the  Book 
of  Exodus  to  which  this  and  others  properly  belonged 
was  already  complete.  Numbers  is  the  more  frag- 
mentary book.  The  expression,  "on  the  day,"  must 
apparently  be  taken  in  a  general  sense  as  in  Gen.  ii.  4  : 
'^  These  are  the  generations  of  the  heavens  and  of  the 
earth  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  God  made  earth  and 
heaven."  In  Numb.  ix.  15  the  same  note  of  time, 
"  on  the  day  that  the  tabernacle  was  reared  up,"  marks 

73 


74  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  beginning  of  another  reminiscence  or  tradition. 
The  setting  up  of  the  tabernacle  and  consecration  of 
the  altar  gave  occasion  presumably  for  this  manifestation 
of  generosity.  But  the  offerings  described  could  not 
be  provided  immediately ;  they  must  have  taken  time  to 
prepare.  Golden  spoons  of  ten  shekels'  weight  were 
not  to  be  found  ready-made  in  the  camp  ;  nor  were 
the  oil  and  fine  flour  to  be  had  at  a  day's  notice. 
Of  course  the  gifts  might  have  been  prepared  in 
anticipation. 

The  account  of  the  bringing  of  the  offerings  by  the 
princes  on  twelve  successive  days,  one  Sabbath  at  least 
included,  gives  the  impression  of  a  festival  display. 
The  narrator  dwells  with  some  pride  on  the  exhibition 
of  religious  zeal  and  liberality,  a  fine  example  set  to  the 
people  by  men  in  high  position.  The  gifts  had  not 
been  asked  by  Moses ;  they  were  purely  voluntary. 
Considering  the  value  of  precious  metals  at  the  time, 
and  the  poverty  of  the  Israelites,  they  were  handsome, 
though  not  extravagant.  It  is  estimated  that  the  gold 
and  silver  of  each  prince  would  equal  in  value  about 
seven  hundred  and  thirty  of  our  shillings,  and  so 
the  whole  amount  contributed,  without  regarding  the 
changed  value  of  the  metals,  would  be  equivalent  to 
some  four  hundred  and  thirty-eight  pounds  sterling. 
In  addition  there  were  the  fine  flour  and  oil,  and  the 
bullocks,  rams,  lambs,  and  kids  for  sacrifice. 

It  is  an  obvious  remark  here  that  spontaneous  liber- 
ality has  in  the  very  form  of  the  narrative  the  very 
highest  commendation.  Nothing  could  be  more  fitted 
to  create  in  the  minds  of  the  people  respect  for  the 
sanctuary  and  the  worship  associated  with  it  than  this 
hearty  dedication  of  their  wealth  by  the  heads  of  the 
tribes.     As  the  people  saw  the  slow  processions  moving 


vii.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  75 

day  by  day  from  the  different  parts  of  the  camp,  and 
joined  in  raising  their  hallelujahs  of  joy  and  praise,  a 
spirit  of  generous  devotion  would  be  kindled  in  many 
hearts.  It  appears  a  singular  agreement  that  each 
prince  of  a  tribe  gave  precisely  the  same  as  his  neigh- 
bour. But  by  this  arrangement  one  was  not  put  to 
shame  by  the  greater  Hberality  of  another.  Often,  as 
we  know,  there  is  in  giving,  quite  as  much  of  human 
rivalry  as  of  holy  generosity.  One  must  not  be  out- 
done by  his  neighbour,  would  rather  surpass  his  neigh- 
bour. Here  all  appears  to  be  done  in  the  brotherly 
spirit. 

Does  the  author  of  Numbers  present  an  ideal  for  us 
to  keep  in  view  in  our  dedication  of  riches  to  the  service 
of  the  Gospel  ?  It  was  in  full  accord  with  the  symbolic 
nature  of  Hebrew  religion  that  believers  should  enrich 
the  tabernacle  and  give  its  services  an  air  of  splendour. 
Almost  the  only  way  for  the  Israelites  to  honour  God 
in  harmony  with  their  separation  from  others  as  His 
people,  was  that  of  making  glorious  the  house  in  which 
He  set  His  name,  the  whole  arrangements  for  sacrifice 
and  festival  and  priestly  ministration.  In  the  temple 
of  Solomon  that  idea  culminated  which  on  this  occasion 
fixed  the  value  and  use  of  the  princes'  gifts.  But 
under  Christianity  the  service  of  God  is  the  service  of 
mankind.  When  the  thought  and  labour  of  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ  are  devoted  to  the  needs  of  men  there 
is  a  tribute  to  the  glory  of  God.  "It  has  been  said — it 
is  true — that  a  better  and  more  honourable  offering  is 
made  to  our  Master  in  ministry  to  the  poor,  in  extend- 
ing the  knowledge  of  His  name,  in  the  practice  of  the 
virtues  by  which  that  name  is  hallowed,  than  in  material 
gifts  to  His  temple.  Assuredly  it  is  so  :  woe  to  all 
who  think  that  any  other  kind  or  manner  of  offering 


76  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

may  in  any  way  take  the  place  of  these."  ^  The 
decoration  of  the  house  used  for  worship,  its  stateHness 
and  charm,  are  secondary  to  the  upbuilding  of  that 
temple  of  which  beHeving  men  and  women  are  the 
eternal  stones,  for  basement,  pillar,  and  wall.  In  the 
development  of  Judaism  the  temple  with  its  costly 
sacrifices  and  ministries  swallowed  up  the  means  and 
enthusiasm  of  the  people.  Israel  recognised  no  duty 
to  the  outside  world.  Even  its  prophets,  because  they 
were  not  identified  with  the  temple  worship,  were  in 
the  main  neglected  and  left  to  penury.  It  is  a  mistaken 
use  of  the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament  to  take 
across  its  love  of  splendour  in  sanctuary  and  worship, 
while  the  spread  of  Christian  truth  abroad  and  among 
the  poor  is  scantily  provided  for. 

But  the  liberality  of  the  leaders  of  the  tribes,  and 
of  all  who  in  the  times  of  the  old  covenant  gave 
freely  to  the  support  of  religion,  stands  before  us  to-day 
as  a  noble  example.  In  greater  gratitude  for  a  purer 
faith,  a  larger  hope,  we  should  be  more  generous. 
Devoting  ourselves  first  as  living  sacrifices,  holy  and 
acceptable  to  God,  we  should  count  it  an  honour  to 
give  in  proportion  to  our  ability.  One  after  another, 
every  prince,  every  father  of  a  family,  every  servant 
of  the  Lord,  to  the  poorest  widow,  should  bring  a 
becoming  gift. 

The  chapter  closes  with  a  verse  apparently  quite 
detached  from  the  narrative  as  well  as  from  what 
follows,  which,  however,  has  a  singular  importance  as 
embodying  the  law  of  the  oracle.  "  And  when  Moses 
went  into  the  tent  of  meeting  to  speak  with  Him,  then 
he  heard  the  Voice  speaking  unto  him  from  above  the 

'  Ruskin,  "  Seven  Lamps  of  Architecture." 


vii.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  77 

mercy-seat  that  was  upon  the  ark  of  the  testimony, 
from  between  the  two  cherubim  :  and  he  spake  unto 
Him."  At  first  this  may  seem  exceedingly  anthropo- 
morphic. It  is  a  human  voice  that  is  heard  by  Moses 
speaking  in  response  to  his  inquiries.  One  is  there, 
in  the  darkness  behind  the  veil,  who  converses  with 
the  prophet  as  friend  communicates  with  friend.  Yet, 
on  reflection,  it  will  be  felt  that  the  statement  is  marked 
by  a  grave  idealism  and  has  an  air  of  mystery  befitting 
the  circumstances.  There  is  no  form  or  visible  mani- 
festation, no  angel  or  being  in  human  likeness,  repre- 
senting God.  It  is  only  a  Voice  that  is  heard.  And 
that  Voice,  as  proceeding  from  above  the  mercy-seat 
which  covered  the  law,  is  a  revelation  of  what  is  in 
harmony  with  the  righteousness  and  truth,  as  well  as 
the  compassion,  of  the  Unseen  God.  The  separateness 
of  Jehovah  is  very  strikingly  suggested.  Here  only, 
in  this  tent  of  meeting,  apart  from  the  common  life  of 
humanity,  can  the  one  prophet-mediator  receive  the 
sacred  oracles.  And  the  veil  still  separates  even 
Moses  from  the  mystic  Voice.  Yet  God  is  so  akin 
to  men  that  He  can  use  their  words,  make  His  message 
intelligible  through  Moses  to  those  who  are  not  holy 
enough  to  hear  for  themselves,  but  are  capable  ot 
responding  in  obedient  faith. 

Whatever  is  elsewhere  said  in  regard  to  the  Divine 
communications  that  were  given  through  Moses  must  be 
interpreted  by  this  general  statement.  The  revelations 
to  Israel  came  in  the  silence  and  mystery  of  this  place 
of  audience,  when  the  leader  of  the  people  had  with- 
drawn from  the  bustle  and  strain  of  his  common  tasks. 
He  must  be  in  the  exalted  mood  this  highest  of  all 
offices  requires.  With  patient,  earnest  soul  he  must 
wait  for  the  Word  of  God.     There  is  nothing  sudden, 


78  THE  BOOK  OF'  NUMBERS 


no  violent  flash  of  light  on  the  ecstatic  mind.     All  is 
calm  and  grave. 

2.  The  Candelabrum 

Numbers  viii,   1-4 

The  seven-branched  candlestick  with  its  lamps  stood 
in  the  outer  chamber  of  the  tabernacle  into  which  the 
priests  had  frequently  to  go.  When  the  curtain  at 
the  entrance  of  the  tent  was  drawn  aside  during  the 
day  there  was  abundance  of  light  in  the  Holy  Place, 
and  then  the  lamps  were  not  required.  It  may  indeed 
appear  from  Exod.  xxvii.  20,  that  one  lamp  of  the 
seven  fixed  on  the  candelabrum  was  to  be  kept  burning 
by  day  as  well  as  by  night.  Doubt,  however,  is  thrown 
on  this  by  the  command,  repeated  in  Lev.  xxiv.  1-4, 
that  Aaron  shall  order  it  "  from  evening  to  morning ; " 
and  Rabbi  Kimchi's  statement  that  the  "  western  lamp  " 
was  always  found  burning  cannot  be  accepted  as  con- 
clusive. In  the  wilderness,  at  all  events,  no  lamp 
could  be  kept  always  alight;  and  from  i  Sam.  iii.  3 
we  learn  that  the  Divine  voice  was  heard  by  the  child- 
prophet  when  Eli  was  laid  down  in  his  place,  "and 
the  lamp  of  God  was  not  yet  gone  out "  in  the  temple 
where  the  ark  of  God  was.  The  candelabrum  there- 
fore seems  to  have  been  designed  not  specially  as  a 
s3^mbol,  but  for  use.  And  here  direction  is  given, 
''  When  thou  lightest  the  lamps,  the  seven  lamps  shall 
give  light  in  front  of  the  candlestick."  All  were 
to  be  so  placed  upon  the  supports  that  they  might 
shine  across  the  Holy  Place,  and  illuminate  the  altar 
of  incense  and  the  table  of  shewbread. 

The  text  goes  on  to  state  that  the  candlestick  was 
all  of  beaten  work  of  gold  ;  "  unto  the  base  thereof  and 


1-4.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  79 


unto  the  flowers  thereof,  it  was  beaten  work,"  and 
the  pattern  was  that  which  Jehovah  had  showed  Moses. 
The  material,  the  workmanship,  and  the  form,  not 
particularly  important  in  themselves,  are  anew  referred 
to  because  of  the  special  sacredness  belonging  to  all 
the  furniture  of  the  tabernacle. 

The  attempt  to  fasten  typical  meanings  to  the  seven 
lights  of  the  candelabrum,  to  the  ornaments  and  posi- 
tion, and  especially  to  project  those  meanings  into  the 
Christian  Church,  has  little  warrant  even  from  the  Book 
of  Revelation,  where  Christ  speaks  as  "  He  that  walketh 
in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks."  There 
can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  symbolic  references 
may  be  found,  illustrating  in  various  ways  the  subjects 
of  revelation  and  the  Christian  life. 

The  '*  tent  of  meeting  "  may  represent  to  us  that 
chamber  or  temple  of  reverent  inquiry  where  the 
voice  of  the  Eternal  is  heard,  and  His  glory  and 
holiness  are  reaHsed  by  the  seeker  after  God.  It  is 
a  chamber  silent,  solemn,  and  dark,  curtained  in  such 
gloom,  indeed,  that  some  have  maintained  there  is  no 
revelation  to  be  had,  no  glimpse  of  Divine  life  or  love. 
But  as  the  morning  sunshine  flowed  into  the  Holy 
Place  when  the  hangings  were  drawn  aside,  so  from 
the  natural  world  light  may  enter  the  chamber  in  which 
fellowship  with  God  is  sought.  **  The  invisible  things 
of  Him  since  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen, 
being  perceived  through  the  things  that  are  made,  even 
His  everlasting  power  and  divinity."  The  world  is  not 
God,  its  forces  are  not  in  the  true  sense  elemental — do 
not  belong  to  the  being  of  the  Supreme.  But  it  bears 
witness  to  the  infinite  mind,  the  omnipotent  will  it 
cannot  fitly  represent.  In  the  silence  of  the  tent  of 
meeting,  when  the  light  of  nature  shines  through  the 


8o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

door  that  opens  to  the  sunrise,  we  reaHse  that  the  inner 
mystery  must  be  in  profound  accord  with  the  outer 
revelation — that  He  who  makes  the  hght  of  the  natural 
world  must  be  in  Himself  the  light  of  the  spiritual 
world ;  that  He  who  maintains  order  in  the  great  move- 
ments and  cycles  of  the  material  universe,  maintains  a 
like  order  in  the  changes  and  evolutions  of  the  imma- 
terial creation. 

Yet  the  light  of  the  natural  world  shining  thus  into 
the  sacred  chamber,  while  it  aids  the  seeker  after  God 
in  no  small  degree,  fails  at  a  certain  point.  It  is  too 
hard  and  glaring  for  the  hour  of  most  intimate  com- 
munion. By  night,  as  it  were,  when  the  world  is 
veiled  and  silent,  when  the  soul  is  shut  alone  in  earnest 
desire  and  thought,  then  it  is  that  the  highest 
possibilities  of  intercourse  with  the  unseen  life  are 
realised.  And  then,  as  the  seven-branched  candle- 
stick with  its  lamps  illuminated  the  Holy  Place,  a 
radiance  which  belongs  to  the  sanctuary  of  life  must 
supply  the  soul's  need.  On  the  curtained  walls,  on  the 
altar,  on  the  veil  whose  heavy  folds  guard  the  most 
holy  mysteries,  this  light  must  shine.  Nature  does 
not  reveal  the  life  of  the  Ever-Living,  the  love  of  the 
All-Loving,  the  will  of  the  All-Holy.  In  the  conscious 
life  and  love  of  the  soul,  created  anew  after  the  plan 
and  likeness  of  God  in  Christ, — here  is  the  light.  The 
unseen  God  is  the  Father  of  our  spirits.  The  lamps 
of  purified  reason,  Christ-born  faith  and  love,  holy 
aspiration,  are  those  which  dispel  the  darkness  on  our 
side  the  veil.  The  Word  and  the  Spirit  give  the  oil  by 
which  those  lamps  are  fed. 

Must  we  say  that  with  the  Father,  Christ  also,  who 
once  lived  on  earth,  is  in  the  inner  chamber  which  our 
gaze  cannot  penetrate  ?     Even  so.     A  thick  curtain  is 


viii.  1-4.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER 


interposed  between  the  earthly  and  the  heavenly. 
Yet  while  by  the  light  which  shines  in  his  own  soul  the 
seeker  after  God  regards  the  outer  chamber — its  altar, 
its  shewbread,  its  walls,  and  canopy — his  thought 
passes  beyond  the  veil.  The  altar  is  fashioned  accord- 
ing to  a  pattern  and  used  according  to  a  law  which 
God  has  given.  It  points  to  prayer,  thanksgiving, 
devotion,  that  have  their  place  in  human  life  because 
facts  exist  out  of  which  they  arise — the  beneficence, 
the  care,  the  claims  of  God.  The  table  of  shewbread 
represents  the  spiritual  provision  made  for  the  soul 
which  cannot  live  but  by  every  word  that  cometh  out 
of  the  mouth  of  God.  The  continuity  of  the  outer 
chamber  with  the  inner  suggests  the  close  union  there 
is  between  the  living  soul  and  the  living  God — and 
the  veil  itself,  though  it  separates,  is  no  jealous  and 
impenetrable  wall  of  division.  Every  sound  on  this 
side  can  be  heard  within ;  and  the  Voice  from  the 
mercy  seat,  declaring  the  will  of  the  Father  through 
the  enthroned  Word,  easily  reaches  the  waiting  wor- 
shipper to  guide,  comfort,  and  instruct.  By  the  light 
of  the  lamps  kindled  in  our  spiritual  nature  the  things 
of  God  are  seen ;  and  the  lamps  themselves  are 
witnesses  to  God.  They  burn  and  shine  by  laws  He 
has  ordained,  in  virtue  of  powers  that  are  not  fortuitous 
nor  of  the  earth.  The  illumination  they  give  on  this 
side  the  veil  proves  clearly  that  within  it  the  Parent 
Light,  glorious,  never-fading,  shines — transcendent 
reason,  pure  and  almighty  will,  unchanging  love — the 
life  which  animates  the  universe. 

Again,  the  symbolism  of  the  candlestick  has  an 
application  suggested  by  Rev.  i.  20.  Now,  the  outer 
chamber  of  the  tabernacle  in  which  the  lamps  shine 
represents  the  whole  world  of  human  life.     The  temple 

6 


82  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

is  vast ;  it  is  the  temple  of  the  universe.  Still  the 
veil  exists  ;  it  separates  the  life  of  men  on  earth  from 
the  life  in  heaven,  with  God.  Isaiah  in  his  oracles  of 
redemption  spoke  of  a  coming  revolution  which  should 
open  the  world  to  Divine  light.  ''He  will  destroy  in 
this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering  that  is  cast  over 
all  people,  and  the  veil  that  is  spread  over  all  nations." 
And  the  light  itself,  still  as  proceeding  from  a  Hebrew 
centre,  is  described  in  the  second  book  of  the  Isaian 
prophecies  :  **  For  Zion's  sake  will  I  not  hold  my  peace, 
and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not  rest,  until  her 
righteousness  go  forth  as  brightness  and  her  salva- 
tion as  a  lamp  that  burneth.  And  the  nations  shall 
see  thy  righteousness  and  all  kings  thy  glory."  But 
the  prediction  was  not  fulfilled  until  the  Hebrew  merged 
in  the  human  and  He  came  who,  as  the  Son  of  Man, 
is  the  true  light  which  lighteth  every  man  coming  into 
the  world. 

Dark  was  the  outer  chamber  of  the  great  temple 
when  the  Light  of  life  first  shone,  and  the  darkness 
comprehended  it  not.  When  the  Church  was  organised, 
and  the  apostles  of  our  Lord,  bearing  the  gospel  of 
Divine  grace,  went  through  the  lands,  they  addressed  a 
world  still  under  the  veil  of  which  Isaiah  spoke.  But 
the  spiritual  enlightenment  of  mankind  proceeded ;  the 
lamps  of  the  candlestick,  set  in  their  places,  showed 
the  new  altar,  the  new  table  of  heavenly  bread,  a  feast 
spread  for  all  nations,  and  made  the  ignorant  and 
earthly  aware  that  they  stood  within  a  temple  conse- 
crated by  the  offering  of  Christ.  St.  John  saw  in  Asia, 
amid  the  gross  darkness  of  its  seven  great  cities,  seven 
lamp-stands  with  their  lights,  some  increasing,  some 
waning  in  brightness.  The  sacred  flame  was  carried 
from  country  to  country,  and  in  every  centre  of  popula- 


viii.  1-4.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  83 

tion  a  lamp  was  kindled.  There  was  no  seven-branched 
candelabrum  merely,  but  one  of  a  hundred,  of  a  thou- 
sand arms.  And  all  drew  their  oil  from  the  one  sacred 
source,  cast  more  or  less  bravely  the  same  Divine  illu- 
mination on  the  dark  eye  of  earth. 

True,  the  world  had  its  philosophy  and  poetry, 
using,  often  with  no  little  power,  the  themes  of  natural 
religion.  In  the  outer  chamber  of  the  temple  the  light 
of  nature  gleamed  on  the  altar,  on  the  shewbread, 
on  the  veil.  But  interpretation  failed,  faith  in  the 
unseen  was  mixed  with  dreams,  no  real  knowledge  was 
gained  of  what  the  folds  of  the  curtain  hid — the  mercy- 
seat,  the  holy  law  that  called  for  pure  worship  and  love 
of  one  Living  and  True  God.  And  then  the  darkness 
that  fell  when  the  Saviour  hung  on  the  cross,  the  dark- 
ness of  universal  sin  and  condemnation,  was  made  so 
deeply  felt  that  in  the  shadow  of  it  the  true  light  might 
be  seen,  and  the  lamp  of  every  church  might  glow,  a 
beacon  of  Divine  mercy  shining  across  the  troubled 
life  of  man.  And  the  world  has  responded,  will  respond, 
with  greater  comprehension  and  joy,  as  the  Gospel  is 
proclaimed  with  finer  spirit,  embodied  with  greater 
zeal  in  lives  of  faith  and  love.  Christ  in  the  truth, 
Christ  in  the  sacraments,  Christ  in  the  words  and  deeds 
of  those  who  compose  His  Church — this  is  the  light. 
The  candlestick  of  every  life,  of  every  body  of  believers, 
should  be  as  of  beaten  gold,  no  base  metal  mixed  with 
that  which  is  precious.  He  who  fashions  his  character 
as  a  Christian  is  to  have  the  Divine  idea  before  him 
and  re-think  it ;  those  who  build  the  Church  are  to 
seek  its  purity,  strength,  and  grace.  But  still  the  light 
must  come  from  God,  not  from  man,  the  light  that 
burned  on  the  altar  of  the  Divine  sacrifice  and  shines 
from  the  glorious  personality  of  the  risen  Lord 


84  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


3.    The  Passover     • 

Numbers  ix,  1-14  ' 

The  day  fixed  by  statute  for  the  feast  which  com- 
memorated the  dehverance  from  Egypt  was  the  four- 
teenth of  the  first  month — the  year  beginning  with  the 
month  of  the  exodus.  Chap.  ix.  opens  by  reiterating 
this  statute,  already  recorded  in  Exod.  xii.  and  Lev. 
xxiii.,  and  proceeds  to  narrate  the  observance  of  the 
Passover  in  the  second  year.  A  supplementary  pro- 
vision follows  which  met  the  case  of  those  excluded 
from  the  feast  through  ceremonial  uncleanness.  In 
one  passage  it  is  assumed  that  the  statutes  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  celebration  are  already  known.  The 
feast  proper,  ordered  to  be  kept  between  the  two 
evenings  of  the  fourteenth  day,  is,  however,  alone 
spoken  of;  there  is  no  mention  of  the  week  of  un- 
leavened bread  (Exod.  xii.  1 5  ;  Lev.  xxiii.  6),  nor  of 
the  holy  convocations  with  which  that  week  was  to  open 
and  close.  It  is  almost  (impossible  to  avoid  the  con- 
clusion that  the  Passover  in  the  wilderness  was  a  simple 
family  festival  at  which  every  head  of  a  household 
officiated  in  a  priestly  capacity.  The  supplementary 
Passover  of  this  chapter  was,  according  to  the  rabbis, 
distinguished  from  the  great  feast  by  the  rites  lasting 
only  one  day  instead  of  seven,  and  by  otber  variations. 
There  is,  however,  no  trace  of  such  a  difference  between 
the  one  observance  and  the  other.  What  was  done 
by  the  congregation  on  the  fourteenth  of  Abib  was 
apparently  to  be  done  at  the  **  Little  Passover  "  of  the 
following  month. 

On  every  male   Israelite  old  enough  to  understand 

'  For  chap.  vii'.  5-26  see  p.  39. 


ix.  1-14.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  85 

the  meaning  of  the  Passover,  the  observance  of  it  was 
imperative.  Lest  the  supplementary  feast  should  be 
made  an  excuse  for  failure  to  keep  the  fourteenth  day 
of  the  first  month,  it  is  enacted  (ix.  13)  that  he  who 
wilfully  neglects  shall  be  "cut  off  from  his  people." 
For  strangers  who  sojourn  among  the  Israelites  pro- 
vision is  made  that  if  they  wish  to  keep  the  feast 
they  may  do  so  under  the  regulations  applied  to  the 
Hebrews  ;  these,  of  course,  including  the  indispensable 
rite  of  circumcision,  which  had  to  precede  any  observ- 
ance of  a  feast  in  honour  of  God.  Noticeable  are  the 
terms  with  which  this  statute  concludes  :  "  Ye  shall 
have  one  statute,  both  for  the  stranger  and  for  him 
that  is  born  in  the  land."  The  settlement  in  Canaan 
is  assumed. 

Regarding  the  Passover  in  the  wilderness,  difficulties 
have  been  raised  on  the  ground  that  a  sufficient  number 
of  lambs,  males  of  the  first  year,  could  scarcely  have 
been  provided,  and  that  the  sacrificing  of  the  lambs  by 
Aaron  and  his  two  sons  within  the  prescribed  time 
would  have  been  impossible.  The  second  point  of 
difficulty  disappears  if  this  Passover  was,  as  we  have 
seen  reason  to  believe,  a  family  festival  like  that  observed 
on  the  occasion  of  the  exodus.  Again,  the  number  of 
yearling  male  lambs  required  would  depend  on  the 
number  who  partook  of  the  feast.  Calculations  made  on 
the  basis  that  one  lamb  sufficed  for  about  fifteen,  and 
that  men  alone  ate  the  Passover,  leave  the  matter  in 
apparent  doubt.  Some  fifty  thousand  lambs  would  still 
be  needed.  Keeping  by  the  enumeration  of  the  Israel- 
ites given  in  the  muster-roll  of  Numbers,  some  writers 
explain  that  the  desert  tribes  might  supply  large 
numbers  of  lambs,  and  that  kids  also  were  available. 
The  difficulty,  however,  remains,  and  it  is  one  of  those 


86  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

which  point  to  the  conclusion  that  the  numbers  given 
have  somehow  been  increased  in  the  transcription  of 
the  ancient  records  century  after  century. 

The  case  of  certain  men  who  could  not  partake  of 
the  Passover  in  the  first  month,  because  they  were 
unclean  through  the  dead,  was  brought  before  Moses 
and  Aaron.  The  men  felt  it  to  be  a  great  loss  of 
privilege,  especially  as  the  march  was  about  to  begin, 
and  they  might  not  have  another  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving the  feast.  Who  indeed  could  tell  whether  in 
the  first  conflict  it  might  not  be  his  lot  to  fall  by  the 
sword  ?  '^  We  are  unclean  by  the  nephesh  of  a  man," 
they  said :  "  wherefore  are  we  kept  back,  that  we  may 
not  offer  the  oblation  of  the  Lord  in  its  appointed 
season  among  the  children  of  Israel  ?  "  The  result  of 
the  appeal  was  the  new  law  providing  that  two  dis- 
abilities, and  two  only,  should  be  acknowledged.  The 
supplementary  Passover  of  the  second  month  was 
appointed  for  those  unclean  by  the  dead,  and  those  on 
a  journey  who  found  themselves  too  far  off  to  reach  in 
time  the  precincts  of  the  sanctuary.  Those  unclean 
would  be  in  a  month  presumably  free  from  defilement  ; 
those  on  a  journey  would  probably  have  returned. 
The  concession  is  a  note  of  the  gracious  reasonableness 
that  in  many  ways  distinguished  the  Hebrew  religion ; 
and  the  Passover  observances  of  Jews  at  the  present 
day  are  based  on  the  conviction  that  what  is  prac- 
ticable is  accepted  by  God,  though  statute  and  form 
cannot  be  kept. 

The  question  presents  itself,  why  keeping  of  the 
Passover  should  be  necessary  to  covenant  union  with 
Jehovah.  And  the  reply  bears  on  Christian  duty  with 
regard  to  the  analogous  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
for  it  rests  on  the   historical   sanction  and  continuity 


ix.  I -14.]  SANCTUARY  AND  PASSOVER  87 

of  faith.  If  God  was  to  be  trusted  as  a  Saviour  by  the 
Hebrew,  certain  facts  in  the  nation's  history  had  to 
be  known,  believed,  and  kept  in  clear  remembrance  ; 
otherwise  no  reality  could  be  found  in  the  covenant. 
And  under  the  new  covenant  the  same  holds  good. 
The  historical  fact  of  Christ's  crucifixion  must  be 
kept  in  view,  and  constantly  revived  by  the  Lord's 
Supper.  In  either  case  redemption  is  the  main  idea 
presented  by  the  commemorative  ordinance.  The 
Hebrew  festival  is  not  to  be  held  on  the  anniversary 
of  the  giving  of  the  law ;  it  recalls  the  great  deliverance 
connected  with  the  death  of  the  first-born  in  Egypt. 
So  the  Christian  festival  points  to  the  deliverance  of 
humanity  through  the  death  of  Christ. 

Remarkable  is  the  congruity  between  the  view  of  the 
law  presented  by  Paul  and  the  fact  that  the  great 
commemorative  feast  of  Hebraism  is  attached,  not  to 
the  legislation  of  Sinai,  but  to  the  rescue  from  Egyptian 
bondage.  The  law  kept  the  Hebrew  nation  in  ward 
(Gal.  iii.  23)  ;  "  it  was  added  because  of  transgressions, 
till  the  seed  should  come  to  whom  the  promise  had 
been  made"  (Gal.  iii.  19);  it  ''came  in  beside,  that  the 
trespass  might  abound  "  (Rom.  v.  20).  The  Hebrews 
were  not  required  to  commemorate  that  ordinance 
which  laid  on  them  a  heavy  burden  and  was  found, 
as  time  went  on,  to  be  "unto  death"  (Rom.  vii.  10). 
And,  in  like  manner,  the  feast  of  Christianity  does  not 
recall  the  nativity  of  our  Lord,  nor  that  agony  in  the 
garden  which  showed  Him  in  the  depths  of  human 
sorrow,  but  that  triumphant  act  of  His  soul  which 
carried  Him,  and  humanity  with  Him,  through  the 
shadow  of  death  into  the  free  life  of  spiritual  energy 
and  peace.  The  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
the   commemoration    of  a    victory    by    which    we   are 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


enfranchised.  Partaking  of  it  in  faith,  we  realise  our 
rescue  from  the  Egypt  of  slavery  and  fear,  our  unity 
with  Christ  and  with  one  another  as  *^  an  elect  race, 
a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  people  for  God's 
own  possession."  The  wilderness  journey  lies  before 
us  still ;  but  in  liberty  we  press  on  as  the  ransomed 
of  the  Lord. 

Mr.  Morley  has  said,  not  without  reason,  that  "the 
modern  argument  in  favour  of  the  supernatural  origin 
of  the  Christian  religion,  drawn  from  its  suitableness 
to  our  needs  and  its  Divine  response  to  our  aspirations," 
is  insufficient  to  prove  it  the  absolute  religion.  *'  The 
argument,"  he  says,  "can  never  carry  us  beyond  the 
relativity  of  religious  truth."  ^  Christians  may  not 
assume  that  "  their  aspirations  are  the  absolute  measure 
of  those  of  humanity  in  every  stage."  To  dispense 
with  faith  in  the  historical  facts  of  the  life  of  Christ, 
His  claims,  and  the  significance  of  His  cross,  to  leave 
these  in  the  haze  of  the  past  as  doubtful,  incapable  of 
satisfactory  proof,  and  to  rest  all  on  the  subjective 
experienee  which  any  one  may  reckon  sufficient,  is  to 
obliterate  the  covenant  and  destroy  the  unity  of  the 
Church.  Hence,  as  the  Hebrews  had  their  Passover, 
and  the  observance  of  it  gave  them  coherence  as  a  people 
and  as  a  religious  body,  so  we  have  the  Supper.  No 
local  centre,  indeed,  is  appointed  at  which  alone  our 
symbolic  feast  can  be  observed.  Wherever  a  few 
renew  their  covenant  with  God  in  proclaiming  the 
Lord's  death  till  He  come,  there  the  souls  of  the  faithful 
are  nourished  and  inspired  through  fellowship  with 
Him  who  brought  spiritual  life  and  liberty  to  our 
world. 

*  "Voltaire,"  by  John  Morley,  ed.  1891,  pp.  254,  255. 


VII 

THE   CLOUD  AND    THE  MARCH 
I.  The  Guiding  Cloud 

Numbers  ix.   15-23 

THE  pillar  of  cloud,  the  ensign  of  Jehovah's  royalty 
among  the  Hebrews,  and  for  us  one  of  the  most 
ancient  symbols  of  His  grace,  is  first  mentioned  in  the 
account  of  the  departure  from  Egypt.  '^  Jehovah  went 
before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  cloud,  to  lead  them  the 
way;  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  to  give  them 
light."  At  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea  this  murky 
cloud  removed  and  came  between  the  host  of  Israel 
and  their  pursuers.  In  the  morning  watch  ''Jehovah 
looked  unto  the  host  of  the  Egyptians  through  the 
pillar  of  fire  and  of  the  cloud,  and  troubled  the  host  of 
the  Egyptians."  On  that  occasion  it  followed  or  repre- 
sented "the  angel  of  God."  There  is  nowhere  any 
attempt  to  give  a  complete  account  of  the  symbol.  We 
read  of  its  glory  filling  the  inner  shrine  and  even  the 
holy  place.  At  other  times  it  only  hovers  above  the 
western  end  of  the  tabernacle,  marking  the  situation  of 
the  ark.  Now  and  again  it  moves  from  that  position, 
and  covers  the  door  of  the  tent  of  meeting  into  which 
Moses  has  entered.  The  targums  use  the  term 
Shechinah  to  indicate  what  it  was  conceived  to  be — a 
luminous  cloud,  the  visible  manifestation  of  the  Divine 

89 


90  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

presence ;  and  Philo  speaks  of  the  fiery  appearance  of 
the  Deity  shining  forth  from  a  cloud.  But  these  are 
glosses  on  the  original  descriptions  and  cannot  be 
altogether  harmonised.  In  one  passage  only  (Isa.  iv.  5) 
do  we  find  a  reference  which  appears  to  throw  any 
light  on  the  real  nature  of  the  symbol.  Evidently 
recalling  it,  the  prophet  says,  "  Jehovah  will  create  over 
the  whole  habitation  of  Mount  Zion,  and  over  her 
assemblies,  a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining 
of  a  flaming  fire  by  night."  To  him  the  cloud  is  one 
of  smoke  rising  from  a  fire  which  at  night  sends  up 
tongues  of  flame ;  and  the  reflection  of  the  bright  fire 
on  the  overhanging  cloud  resembles  a  canopy  of 
glory. 

Ewald's  view  is  that  the  smoke  of  the  altar  which 
went  up  in  a  thick  column,  visible  at  a  great  distance 
by  day,  ruddy  with  flame  by  night,  was  the  origin  of 
the  conception.  There  are  various  objections  to  this 
theory,  which  the  author  of  it  himself  finds  difficult  to 
reconcile  with  many  of  the  statements.  At  the  same 
time  the  pillar  of  cloud  does  not  need  to  be  thought  of 
as  in  any  respect  a  more  Divine  symbol  than  others 
which  were  associated  with  the  tabernacle.  Certainly 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  which  Bezaleel  made  according 
to  the  instructions  of  Moses  was,  far  beyond  anything 
else,  the  sacred  centre  around  which  the  whole  of  the 
worship  gathered,  the  mysterious  emblem  of  Jehovah's 
character,  the  guarantee  of  His  presence  with  Israel. 
It  was  from  the  space  above  the  mercy-seat,  as  we 
have  seen,  that  the  Voice  proceeded,  not  from  the  pillar 
of  cloud.  The  sanctity  of  the  ark  was  so  great  that  it 
was  never  exposed  to  the  view  of  the  people,  nor  even 
of  the  Levites  who  were  set  apart  to  carry  it.  The 
cloud,  on  the  other  hand,  was  seen  by  all,  and  had  its 


ix.  15-23.]         THE   CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH 


principal  function  in  showing  where  the  ark  was  in  the 
camp  or  on  the  march. 

Now  assuming,  in  harmony  with  the  reference  in 
Isaiah,  that  the  cloud  was  one  of  smoke,  some  may  be 
disposed  to  think  that,  like  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  the 
holiest  symbol  of  all,  this  was  produced  by  human 
intervention,  yet  in  a  way  not  incompatible  with  its 
sacredness,  its  mystery,  and  value  as  a  sign  of 
Jehovah's  presence.  Where  Moses  was  as  leader,  law- 
giver, prophet,  mediator,  there  God  was  for  this  people  : 
what  Moses  did  in  the  spirit  of  Divine  zeal  and  wisdom 
was  done  for  Israel  by  God.  Through  his  inspiration 
the  ritual  and  its  elaborate  symbolism  had  their  origin. 
And  is  it  not  possible  that  after  the  manner  of  the 
emblem  of  Jehovah  which  appeared  in  the  desert  of 
Horeb  the  fire  and  cloud  were  now  realised  ?  While 
some  may  adopt  this  explanation,  others  again  will 
steadily  believe  that  the  appearance  and  movements 
of  the  cloud  were  quite  apart  from  human  device  or 
agency. 

Scarcely  any  difficulty  greater  than  that  connected 
with  the  pillar  of  cloud  presents  itself  to  thoughtful 
modern  readers  of  the  Pentateuch.  The  traditional 
view,  apparently  involved  in  the  narrative,  is  that  in 
this  cloud  and  in  this  alone  Jehovah  revealed  Himself 
in  the  interval  between  His  appearance  to  Jacob  and, 
long  afterwards,  to  Joshua  in  angelic  form.  Many 
will  maintain  that  unless  the  cloud  was  of  supernatural 
origin  the  whole  relation  of  the  Israelites  to  their 
Divine  King  must  fall  into  shadow.  Was  not  this  one 
of  the  miracles  which  made  Hebrew  history  different 
in  kind  from  that  of  every  other  nation  ?  Is  it  not  one 
of  the  revelations  of  the  Unseen  God  on  which  we 
must   build  if  we  are   to  have  sure  faith  in   the  Old 


92  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

Testament  economy,  and  indeed  in  Christianity  itself, 
as  of  superhuman  revelation  ?  If  we  are  not  to 
interpret  literally  what  is  said  in  Exodus — ''  The  Lord 
went  before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  cloud,  to  lead 
them  the  way;  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  to 
give  them  light " — shall  we  not  practically  abandon 
the  whole  Divine  element  in  the  history  of  Israel's 
deliverance  and  education  ?  Thus  the  difficulty  stands. 
Yet,  it  may  be  argued,  since  we  have  now  the 
revelation  of  God  in  the  human  life  of  Christ  and  the 
gospel  of  salvation  through  the  ministry  of  men,  what 
need  is  there  to  doubt  that,  for  the  guidance  of  a  people 
from  place  to  place  in  the  wilderness,  the  wisdom, 
foresight,  and  faithfulness  of  an  inspired  man  were  the 
appointed  means  ?  It  is  admitted  that  in  many  things 
Moses  acted  for  Jehovah,  that  his  mind  received  in 
idea,  and  his  intellectual  skill  expressed  in  verbal  form, 
the  laws  and  statutes  which  were  to  maintain  Israel's 
relation  to  God  as  a  covenant  people.  We  follow  our 
Lord  Himself  in  saying  that  Moses  gave  Israel  the  law. 
But  the  legislation  of  the  Decalogue  was  far  more  of 
the  nature  of  a  disclosure  of  God,  and  had  far  higher 
aims  and  issues  than  could  be  involved  in  the  guidance 
through  the  desert.  The  law  was  for  the  spiritual 
nature  of  the  Hebrews.  It  brought  them  into  relation 
with  God  as  just,  pure,  true,  the  sole  source  of  moral 
life  and  progress.  As  the  nucleus  of  the  covenant  it 
was  symbolic  in  a  sense  that  fire  could  never  be.  It 
may  be  asked,  then.  What  need  is  there  to  doubt  that 
Moses  had  his  part  in  this  symbol  which  has  so  long 
appeared,  more  than  the  other,  important  as  a  nexus 
between  heaven  and  earth  ?  To  interpret  the  words 
"whenever  the  cloud  was  taken  up  from  over  the 
tent,"  as  meaning  that  it  was  self-moved,  would  imply 


ix.  15-23.]         THE  CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH  93 

that  Moses,  though  he  is  called  the  leader,  did  not  lead 
but  was  led  like  the  rest.  And  this  would  reduce  his 
office  to  a  point  to  which  no  prophet's  work  is  reduced 
throughout  the  entire  Old  Testament.  Was  he  unable 
to  direct  the  march  from  Moseroth  to  Bene-jaakan  ? 
An  inspired  man,  on  whom,  according  to  the  will  of 
God,  lay  the  whole  responsibility  for  Israel's  national 
development,  was  he  unable  to  determine  when  the 
pastures  in  one  region  were  exhausted  and  others  had 
to  be  sought  ?  Then  indeed  the  mediation  of  his  genius 
would  be  so  minimised  that  our  whole  idea  of  him 
must  be  changed.  Especially  would  we  have  to  set 
aside  that  prediction  applied  to  Christ :  "  A  prophet  j 
shall  the  Lord  raise  up  unto  you,  from  your  brethren,  I 
like  unto  me." 

And  further,  it  may  be  said,  the  pillar  of  cloud  and 
fire  retains  the  whole  of  its  value  as  a  symbol  when 
the  intervention  of  Moses  is  admitted ;  and  this  may 
be  proved  by  the  analogy  of  other  emblems.  Almost 
parallel  to  the  cloud,  for  instance,  is  the  serpent  of 
brass,  which  became  a  sign  of  Jehovah's  healing  power, 
and  conveyed  new  life  to  those  who  looked  towards  it 
in  faith.  The  fact  that  this  rude  image  of  a  serpent 
was  made  by  human  hands  did  not  in  the  least  impair 
its  value  as  an  instrument  of  deliverance,  and  the 
efficacy  of  that  particular  symbol  was  selected  by  Christ 
as  an  illustration  of  His  own  redeeming  energy  which 
was  to  be  gained  through]  the  cross :  "  As  Moses  ' 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must 
the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up."  For  certain  occasions 
and  needs  of  a  people  one  symbol  avails ;  in  other 
circumstances  there  must  be  other  signs.  The  smoke- 
cloud  was  not  enough  when  the  serpents  terrified  the 
host.     Elijah  in  this  same  desert  sav/  a  flashing  fire ; 


94  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


but  Jehovah  was  not  in  the  fire.  Natural  symbols, 
however  impressive,  do  not  avail  by  themselves ;  and 
when  God  by  His  prophet  says,  "  This  cloud,  this  fire, 
symbohse  My  presence,"  and  the  people  believe,  is  it 
not  sufficient  ?  The  Divine  Friend  is  assuredly  there. 
The  symbol  is  not  God ;  it  represents  a  fact,  impresses 
a  fact  which  altogether  apart  from  the  symbol  would 
still  hold  good. 

In  the  course  of  the  passage  (ix.  17-23)  the  manner 
of  the  guidance  given  by  means  of  the  cloud  is  care- 
fully detailed.  Sometimes  the  tribes  remained  en- 
camped for  many  days,  sometimes  only  from  evening 
to  morning.  ''  Whether  it  were  two  days,  or  a  month, 
or  a  year,  that  the  cloud  tarried  on  the  tabernacle, 
abiding  thereon,  the  children  of  Israel  remained  en- 
camped, and  journeyed  not :  but  when  it  was  taken 
up,  they  journeyed."  Here  is  emphasised  the  authority 
which  lay  in  *'the  commandment  of  the  Lord  by  the 
hand  of  Moses "  (ver.  23).  For  Israel,  as  for  every 
nation  that  is  not  lost  in  the  desert  of  the  centuries, 
and  every  society  that  is  not  on  the  way  to  confusion, 
there  must  be  wise  guidance  and  cordial  submission 
thereto.  We  are  not,  however,  saved  now,  as  the 
Israelites  were,  by  a  great  movement  of  society,  or 
even  of  the  Church.  Individually  we  must  see  the 
signal  of  the  Divine  will,  and  march  where  it  points  the 
way.  And  in  a  sense  there  are  no  rests  of  many  days. 
Each  morning  the  cloud  moves  forward ;  each  morning 
we  must  strike  our  tents.  Our  march  is  in  the  way 
of  thought,  of  moral  and  spiritual  progress ;  and  if  we 
live  in  any  real  sense,  we  shall  press  on  along  that 
way.  The  indication  of  duty,  the  guidance  in  thought 
which  we  are  to  follow,  impose  a  Divine  obligation 
none  the  less  that  they  are  communicated  through  the 


X.  i-io.]  THE  CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH  95 

instrumentality  of  men.  For  every  group  of  travellers, 
associated  in  worship,  duty,  and  aim,  there  is  some 
spiritual  authority  pointing  the  direction  to  be  followed. 
As  individuals  we  have  our  separate  calling,  our  re- 
sponsibility to  Christ,  with  which  nothing  is  to  interfere. 
But  the  unity  of  Christians  in  the  faith  and  work  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  must  be  kept ;  and  for  this  one 
like  Moses  is  needed,  or  at  least  a  consensus  of  judg- 
ment, a  clear  expression  of  the  corporate  wisdom. 
The  standard  must  be  carried  forward,  and  where  it 
moves  on  to  quiet  pasturage  or  grim  conflict  the  faithful 
are  to  advance. 

"Ye  armies  of  the  living  God, 
His  sacramental  host, 
Where  hallowed  footsteps  never  trod 
Take  your  appointed  post. 

"Follow  the  cross;  the  ark  of  peace 
Accompany  your  path." 

Thus,  we  may  say,  the  general  direction  runs ;  and  in 
the  changing  circumstances  of  the  Church  submission 
is  given  by  its  members  to  those  who  hold  command 
at  once  from  the  Lord  Himself  and  from  His  people. 
But  in  the  details  of  duty  each  must  follow  the  guidance 
of  a  cloud  that  marks  his  own  path  to  his  own  eye. 

2.  The  Silver  Trumpets 

Numbers  x.  i-io 

An  air  of  antique  simplicity  is  felt  in  the  legislation 
regarding  the  two  trumpets  of  silver,  3^et  we  are  not 
in  any  way  hindered  from  connecting  the  statute  with 
the  idea  of  claiming  human  art  for  Divine  service. 
Instrumental  music  was  of  course  rudimentary  in  the 
wilderness ;  but,  such  as  it  was,  Jehovah  was  to  con- 


96  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

trol  the  use  of  it  through  the  priests  ;  and  the  developed 
idea  is  found  in  the  account  of  the  dedication  of  the 
temple  of  Solomon,  as  recorded  in  2  Chron.  v.,  where 
we  are  told  that  besides  the  Levites,  who  had  cymbals, 
psalteries,  and  harps,  a  hundred  and  twenty  priests 
sounding  with  trumpets  took  part  in  the  music. 

There  is  no  need  to  question  the  early  use  of  these 
instruments  ;  nevertheless,  the  legislation  in  our  passage 
assumes  the  settlement  in  Canaan,  and  times  when 
defensive  war  became  necessary  and  the  observance 
of  the  sacred  feasts  fell  into  a  fixed  order.  The  statute 
is  instructive  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  formula  "The 
Lord  spake  unto  Moses,"  and  not  less  as  to  the  gradual 
accretion  of  particulars  around  an  ancient  nucleus. 
We  cannot  set  aside  the  sincere  record,  though  it  may 
seem  to  make  Jehovah  speak  on  matters  of  small 
importance.  But  interpretation  must  spring  from  a 
right  understanding  of  the  purpose  suggested  to  the 
mind  of  Moses.  Uses  found  for  the  trumpets  in  the 
course  of  years  are  simply  extensions  of  the  germinal 
idea  of  reserving  for  sacred  use  those  instruments  and 
the  art  they  represented.  It  was  well  that  whatever 
fear  or  exhilaration  the  sounding  of  them  caused 
should  be  controlled  by  those  who  were  responsible 
to  God  for  the  moral  inspiration  of  the  people. 

According  to  the  statute,  the  two  trumpets,  which 
were  of  very  simple  make,  and  capable  of  onfy  a  few 
notes,  had  their  use  first  in  calling  assembhes.  A 
long  peal  blown  on  one  trumpet  summoned  the  princes 
who  were  the  heads  of  the  thousands  of  Israel :  a  long 
peal  on  both  trumpets  called  the  whole  congregation 
to  the  "  tent  of  meeting."  There  were  occasions 
when  these  assemblies  were  required  not  for  delibera- 
tion, but  to  hear  in  detail  the  instructions  and  orders  of 


ii.i-io.J  THE  CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH  97 

the  leader.  At  other  times  the  convocations  were  for 
prayer  or  thanksgiving ;  or,  again,  the  people  had  to 
hear  solemn  reproofs  and  sentences  of  punishment. 
We  may  imagine  that  with  varying  sound,  joyful  or 
mournful,  the  trumpets  were  made  to  convey  some 
indication  of  the  purpose  for  which  the  assembly  was 
called. 

A  sacred  obligation  lay  on  the  Israelites  to  obey 
the  summons,  whether  for  joy  or  sorrow.  They  heard 
in  the  trumpet-blast  the  very  voice  of  God.  And  upon 
us,  bound  to  His  service  by  a  more  solemn  and  gracious 
covenant,  rests  an  obligation  even  more  commanding. 
The  unity  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  their  fellowship 
in  the  obedience  and  worship  of  Jehovah,  could  never 
be  of  half  so  much  importance  as  the  unity  of  Christians 
in  declaring  their  faith  and  fulfilling  their  vocation. 
To  come  together  at  the  call  of  recurring  opportunity, 
that  we  may  confess  Christ  and  hear  His  word  anew, 
is  essential  to  our  spiritual  life.  Those  who  hear  the 
call  should  know  its  urgency  and  promptly  respond, 
lest  in  the  midst  of  the  holiest  hght  there  come  to 
be  a  shadow  of  deep  darkness,  the  midnight  gloom  of 
paganism  and  death. 

Again,  in  the  wilderness,  the  trumpets  gave  the 
signal  for  striking  the  camp  and  setting  out  on  a  new 
stage  of  the  journey.  Blown  sharply  by  way  of  alarm, 
the  peals  conveyed  now  to  one,  now  to  another  part  of 
the  host  the  order  to  advance.  The  movement  of  the 
pillar  of  cloud,  we  may  assume,  could  not  be  seen 
everywhere,  and  this  was  another  means  of  direction, 
not  only  of  a  general  kind,  but  with  some  detail. 

Taking  vv.  5,  6,  along  with  the  passage  beginning 
at  ver.  14,  we  have  an  ideal  picture  of  the  order  of 
movement.      One   peal,    sharply   rung    out   from   the 

7 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


trumpets,  would  signif}^  that  the  eastern  camp,  embrac- 
ing the  tribes  of  Judah,  Issachar,  and  Zebulun,  should 
advance.  Then  the  tabernacle  was  to  be  taken  down, 
and  the  Levites  of  the  families  of  Gershon  and  Merari 
were  to  set  forward  with  the  various  parts  of  the  tent 
and  its  enclosure.  Next  two  alarms  gave  the  signal 
to  the  southern  camp,  that  of  Reuben,  Simeon,  and 
Gad.  The  Levites  of  the  family  of  Kohath  followed, 
bearing  the  ark,  the  altar  of  incense,  the  great  altar, 
the  table  of  shewbread,  and  other  furniture  of  the 
sanctuary.  The  third  and  fourth  camps,  of  which 
Ephraim  and  Benjamin  were  the  heads,  brought  up 
the  rear.  In  these  movements  the  trumpets  would  be 
of  much  use.  But  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  real  diffi- 
culty was  not  to  set  the  divisions  in  motion  each  at  a 
fit  time.  The  camps  were  not  composed  only  of  men 
under  militar}^  discipline.  The  women  and  children, 
the  old  and  feeble,  had  to  be  cared  for.  The  flocks  and 
herds  also  had  to  be  kept  in  hand.  We  cannot  suppose 
that  there  was  any  orderly  procession ;  rather  was  each 
camp  a  straggling  multitude,  with  its  own  delays  and 
interruptions. 

And  so  it  is  in  the  case  of  every  social  and  rehgious 
movement.  Clear  enough  may  be  the  command  to 
advance,  the  trumpet  of  Providence,  the  clarion  of  the 
Gospel.  But  men  and  women  are  undisciplined  in 
obedience  and  faith.  They  have  many  burdens  of  a 
personal  kind  to  bear,  many  private  differences  and 
quarrels.  How  very  seldom  can  the  great  Leader 
find  prompt  response  to  His  will,  though  the  terms  of 
it  are  distinctly  conveyed  and  the  demand  is  urgent  I 
God  makes  a  plan  for  us,  opens  our  way,  shows  us  our 
need,  proclaims  the  fit  hours ;  but  our  unbelief  and 
fear  and  incapacity  impede  the  march.     Nevertheless, 


X.  i-io.]  THE   CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH  99 

through  the  grace  of  His  providence,  as  Israel  slowly 
made  its  way  across  the  desert  and  reached  Canaan  at 
last,  the  Church  moves,  and  will  continue  to  move, 
towards  the  holy  future,  the  millennial  age. 

Turning  now  to  the  uses  of  the  silver  trumpets  after 
the  settlement  in  Canaan,  there  is  first  that  connected 
with  war.  The  people  are  presumed  to  be  living  peace- 
ably in  their  country ;  but  some  neighbouring  power 
has  attacked  them.  The  sounding  of  the  trumpets 
then  is  to  be  of  the  nature  of  a  prayer  to  the  Divine 
Protector  of  the  nation.  The  cry  of  the  dependent 
tribes  will  be  gathered  up,  as  it  were,  into  the  shrill 
blast  which  carries  the  alarm  to  the  throne  of  the  Lord 
of  Hosts.  To  the  army  and  to  the  nation  assurance  is 
given  that  the  old  promise  of  Jehovah's  favour  remains 
in  force,  and  that  the  promise,  claimed  by  the  priests 
according  to  the  covenant,  will  be  fulfilled.  And  this 
will  make  the  trumpet-blast  exhilarating,  a  presage 
of  victory.  The  claim  and  hope  of  the  nation  rise 
heavenward.  The  men  of  war  stand  together  in  faith, 
and  put  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens. 

For  the  battles  we  have  to  fight,  the  conflicts  of  faith 
with  unbelief,  and  righteousness  with  aggressive  iniquity, 
an  inspiration  is  needed  like  that  conveyed  to  Israel  in 
the  peal  of  the  silver  trumpets.  Have  we  any  means 
of  assurance  resembling  that  which  was  to  animate  the 
Hebrews  when  the  enemy  came  upon  them?  Even 
the  need  is  often  unrecognised.  Many  take  for  granted 
that  religion  is  safe,  that  the  truth  requires  no  valour 
of  theirs  in  maintaining  it,  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ  no 
spirited  defence.  The  trumpet  is  not  heard  because 
the  duty  to  which  all  Christians  are  called  as  helpers 
of  the  Gospel  is  never  considered.  Messages  are 
accepted  as  oracles  of  God   only  when   they  tell  the 


too  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

trustful  of  safety  and  confirm  them  in  easy  enjoyment 
of  spiritual  privilege  and  hope.  One  kind  of  trumpet 
peal  alone  is  liked — that  which  sounds  an  alarm  to 
the  unconverted,  and  bids  them  prepare  for  the  coming 
of  the  Judge. 

But  there  are  for  all  Christians  frequent  calls  to  a 
service  in  which  they  need  the  courage  of  faith  and 
every  hope  the  covenant  can  give.  At  the  present 
time  no  greater  mistake  is  possible  than  to  sit  in  com- 
fort under  the  shadow  of  ancient  forms  and  creeds. 
We  cannot  realise  the  value  of  the  promise  given  to 
genuine  faith  unless  we  abandon  the  crumbling  walls 
and  meet  our  assailants  in  the  open  ground,  where  we 
can  see  them  face  to  face,  and  know  the  spirit  with 
which  they  fight,  the  ensigns  of  their  war.  There  is 
no  brave  thinking  now  in  those  old  shelters,  no  room 
to  use  the  armour  of  light.  Christianity  is  one  of  the 
free  forces  of  human  life.  Its  true  inspiration  is  found 
only  when  those  who  stand  by  it  are  bent  on  securing 
and  extending  the  liberties  of  men.  The  trumpets  that 
lift  to  heaven  the  prayers  of  the  faithful  and  fill  the 
soldiers  of  the  Cross  with  the  hope  of  victory  can 
never  be  in  the  hands  of  those  who  claim  exclusive 
spiritual  authority,  nor  will  they  ever  again  sound  the 
old  Hebrew  note.  They  inspire  those  who  are  gene- 
rous, who  feel  that  the  more  they  give  the  more  they 
are  blessed,  who  would  impart  to  others  their  own  life 
that  God's  love  to  the  world  may  be  known.  They  call 
us  not  to  defend  our  own  privileges,  but  to  keep  the 
way  of  salvation  open  to  all,  to  prevent  the  Pharisee 
and  the  unbeliever  from  closing  against  men  the  door 
of  heavenly  grace. 

Once  more ;  in  the  days  of  gladness  and  solemn 
feasting  the  trumpets  were  to  be  blown  over  the  burnt 


X.  11-28.]  THE  CLOUD  AND   THE  MARCH  loi 

oflferings  and  peace  offerings.  The  joy  of  the  Passover, 
the  hope  of  the  new-moon  festival,  especially  in  the 
beginning  of  the  seventh  month,  were  to  be  sent  up  to 
heaven  with  the  sound  of  these  instruments,  not  as  if 
Jehovah  had  forgotten  His  people  and  His  covenant, 
but  for  the  assurance  and  comfort  of  the  worshippers. 
He  was  a  Friend  before  whom  they  could  rejoice,  a 
King  whose  forgiveness  was  abundant,  who  showed 
mercy  unto  the  thousands  who  loved  Him  and  kept 
His  commandments.  The  music,  loud,  and  clear,  and 
bold,  was  to  carry  to  all  who  heard  it  the  conviction 
that  God  had  been  sought  in  the  way  of  His  holy  law, 
and  would  cause  blessing  to  descend  upon  Israel. 

We  claim  with  gentler  sounds,  those  of  lowly  prayer 
and  pleading,  the  help  of  the  Most  High.  Even  in  the 
secret  chamber  when  the  door  is  shut  we  can  address 
our  Father,  knowing  that  our  claim  will  be  answered 
for  the  sake  of  Christ.  Yet  there  are  times  when  the 
loud  and  clear  hallelujahs,  borne  heavenward  by  human 
voices  and  pealing  organ,  seem  alone  to  express  our 
exultation.  Then  the  instruments  and  methods  of 
modern  art  may  be  said  to  bind  the  old  Hebrew  times, 
the  ancient  faith  of  the  wilderness  and  of  Zion,  to  our 
own.  We  carry  out  ideas  that  lie  at  the  heart  of  the 
race ;  we  realise  that  human  skill,  human  discovery, 
find  their  highest  use  and  delight  when  they  make 
beautiful  and  inspiring  the  service  of  God. 

3.  The  Order  of  March 

Numbers  x.  11-28 

The  difficulties  connected  with  the  order  of  march 
prescribed  in  this  passage  have  been  often  and  fully 
rehearsed.      According   to    the    enumeration    given    in 


BOOK    OF  NUMBERS 


chap,  ii.,  the  van  of  the  host  formed  by  the  division 
of  Judah,  men,  women,  and  children,  must  have  reached 
some  six  hundred  thousand  at  least.  The  second  divi- 
sion, headed  by  Reuben,  would  number  five  hundred 
thousand.  The  Levites,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
according  to  the  same  computation  would  be  altogether 
about  seventy  thousand.  Then  came  the  two  remain- 
ing camps,  about  nine  hundred  thousand  souls.  At 
the  first  signal  six  hundred  thousand  would  have  to 
get  into  marching  order  and  move  off  across  the  desert. 
There  could  be  no  absolute  separation  of  the  fighting 
men  from  their  famihes  and  flocks,  and  even  if  there 
were  no  narrow  passes  to  confine  the  vast  multitude,  it 
would  occupy  miles  of  road.  We  must  not  put  a  day's 
journey  at  more  than  ten  miles.  The  foremost  groups 
would  therefore  have  reached  the  camping  ground,  let 
us  say,  when  the  last  ranks  of  the  second  division  were 
only  beginning  to  move ;  and  the  rear  would  still  be  on 
its  way  when  night  had  long  fallen  upon  the  desert. 
Whatever  obstacles  were  removed  for  the  Israelites, 
the  actual  distance  to  be  traversed  could  not  be  made 
less  ;  and  the  journey  is  always  represented  as  a  stern 
and  serious  discipline.  When  we  take  into  account  the 
innumerable  hindrances  which  so  vast  a  company  would 
certainly  have  to  contend  with,  it  seems  impossible  that 
the  order  of  march  as  detailed  in  this  passage  could 
have  been  followed  for  two  days  together. 

Suppose  we  receive  the  explanation  that  the  numbers 
have  been  accidentally  increased  in  the  transcription  of 
records.  This  would  relieve  the  narrative,  not  only 
here  but  at  many  points,  of  a  burden  it  can  hardly 
carry.  And  we  remember  that  according  to  the  Book 
of  Nehemiah  less  than  fifty  thousand  Jews,  returning 
from  Babylon  at  the  close  of  the  captivity,  reconstructed 


X.  11-28.]  THE   CLOUD  AND    THE  MARCH  103 

the  nation,  so  that  it  soon  showed  considerable  spirit 
and  energy.  If  the  numbers  as  they  stand  in  the 
Pentateuch  were  reduced,  divided  by  ten,  as  some 
propose,  the  desert  journey  would  appear  less  of  a  mere 
marvel.  It  would  remain  one  of  the  most  striking  and 
important  migrations  known  to  history  ;  it  would  lose 
none  of  its  religious  significance.  No  religious  idea  is 
affected  by  the  numbers  who  receive  it ;  nor  do  the 
great  purposes  of  God  depend  on  multitudes  for  their 
fulfilment.  We  can  view  with  composure  the  criticism 
which  touches  the  record  on  its  numerical  side,  because 
we  know  the  prophetic  work  of  Moses  and  the  pro- 
vidential education  of  Israel  to  be  incontrovertible 
facts. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  order  of  march  as 
described  did  not  continue  to  be  kept  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  wilderness  journey ;  that  in  point  of  fact 
it  may  have  been  followed  only  so  far  as  Kadesh. 
Whether  this  was  so  or  not  it  must  be  taken  into 
account  that  for  the  greater  part  of  the  forty  years 
there  was  absolutely  no  travelling ;  the  tribes  were 
settled  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran.  The  proofs  are 
incidental  but  conclusive.  From  a  central  point, 
where  the  cloud  rested  (Numb.  x.  12),  the  people  spread 
themselves,  we  may  suppose,  in  various  directions, 
seeking  grass  for  their  cattle,  and  living  for  the  most 
part  like  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  district.  Even  if 
there  were  but  three  years  of  travelling  in  all,  before 
and  after  the  sojourn  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kadesh, 
there  would  be  ample  time  for  the  movement  from  one 
place  to  another  mentioned  in  the  records. 


VIII 

HOBAB   THE  KENITE 
Numbers  x,  29-36 

THE  Kenites,  an  Arab  tribe  belonging  to  the  region 
of  Midian,  and  sometimes  called  Midianites,  some- 
times Amalekites,  were  already  in  close  and  friendly 
relation  with  Israel.  Moses,  when  he  went  first  to 
Midian,  had  married  a  daughter  of  their  chief  Jethro, 
and,  as  we  learn  from  Exod.  xviii.,  this  patriarch,  with 
his  daughter  Zipporah  and  the  two  sons  she  had  borne 
to  Moses,  came  to  the  camp  of  Israel  at  the  mount  of 
God.  The  meeting  was  an  occasion  of  great  rejoicing ; 
and  Jethro,  as  priest  of  his  tribe,  having  congratulated 
the  Hebrews  on  the  deliverance  Jehovah  had  wrought 
for  them,  '*  took  a  burnt  offering  and  sacrifices  for 
God,"  and  was  joined  by  Moses,  Aaron,  and  all  the 
elders  of  Israel  in  the  sacrificial  feast.  A  union  was 
thus  established  between  Kenites  and  Israelites  of  the 
most  solemn  and  binding  kind.  The  peoples  were 
sworn  to  continual  friendship. 

While  Jethro  remained  in  the  camp  his  counsel  was 
given  in  regard  to  the  manner  of  administering  justice. 
In  accordance  with  it  rulers  of  thousands,  hundreds, 
fifties,  and  tens  were  chosen,  **  able  men,  such  as  feared 
God,  men  of  truth,  hating  covetousness  "  ;  and  to  them 
matters  of  minor  importance  were  referred  for  judg- 

104 


X.  29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  105 

ment,  the  hard  causes  only  being  brought  before  Moses. 
The  sagacity  of  one  long  experienced  in  the  details  of 
government  came  in  to  supplement  the  intellectual 
power  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Hebrew  leader. 

It  does  not  appear  that  any  attempt  was  made  .to 
attach  Jethro  and  the  whole  of  his  tribe  to  the  fortunes 
of  Israel.  The  small  company  of  the  Kenites  could 
travel  far  more  swiftly  than  a  great  host,  and,  if  they 
desired,  could  easily  overtake  the  march.  Moses,  we 
are  told,  let  his  father-in-law  depart,  and  he  went  to 
his  own  place.  But  now  that  the  long  stay  of  the 
Israelites  at  Sinai  is  over  and  they  are  about  to  advance 
to  Canaan,  the  visit  of  a  portion  of  the  Kenite  tribe  is 
made  the  occasion  of  an  appeal  to  their  leader  to  cast 
in  his  lot  with  the  people  of  God.  There  is  some 
confusion  in  regard  to  the  relationship  of  Hobab  with 
Jethro  or  Raguel.  Whether  Hobab  was  a  son  or 
grandson  of  the  chief  cannot  be  made  out.  The  word 
translated  father-in-law  (Numb.  x.  29),  means  a  relation 
by  marriage.  Whatever  was  the  tie  between  Hobab 
and  Moses,  it  was  at  all  events  so  close,  and  the  Kenite 
had  so  much  sympathy  with  Israel,  that  it  was  natural 
to  make  the  appeal  to  him  :  "  Come  thou  with  us,  and 
we  will  do  thee  good."  Himself  assured  of  the  result 
of  the  enterprise,  anticipating  with  enthusiasm  the  high 
destiny  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  Moses  endeavours  to 
persuade  these  children  of  the  desert  to  take  the  way 
to  Canaan. 

There  was  a  fascination  in  the  movement  of  that 
people  who,  rescued  from  bondage  by  their  Heavenly 
Friend,  were  on  their  journey  to  the  land  of  His 
promise.  This  fascination  Hobab  and  his  followers 
appear  to  have  felt ;  and  Moses  counted  upon  it.  The 
Kenites,    used    to    the    wandering    life,   accustomed   to 


io6  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

strike  their  tents  any  day  as  occasion  required,  no 
doubt  recoiled  from  the  thought  of  settHng  even  in  a 
fertile  country,  still  more  from  dwelling  in  any  walled 
town.  But  fhe  south  of  Canaan  was  practically  a 
wilderness,  and  there,  keeping  to  a  great  extent  their 
ancestral  habits,  they  might  have  had  the  liberty  they 
loved,  yet  kept  in  touch  with  their  friends  of  Israel. 
Some  aversion  from  the  Hebrews,  who  still  bore 
certain  marks  of  slavery,  would  have  to  be  overcome. 
Yet,  Avith  the  bond  already  established,  there  needed 
only  some  understanding  of  the  law  of  Jehovah,  and 
some  hope  in  His  promise  to  bring  the  company  of 
Hobab  to  decision. 

And  Moses  had  right  in  saying,  "  Come  with  us,  and 
we  will  do  thee  good ;  for  Jehovah  hath  spoken  good 
concerning  Israel."  The  outlook  to  a  future  was 
something  which  the  Kenites  as  a  people  had  not,  never 
could  have  in  their  desultory  hfe.  Unprogressive,  out 
of  the  way  of  the  great  movements  of  humanity, 
gaining  nothing  as  generations  went  by,  but  simply 
reproducing  the  habits  and  treasuring  the  beliefs  of 
their  fathers,  the  Arab  tribe  might  maintain  itself,  might 
occasionally  strike  for  righteousness  in  some  conflict, 
but  otherwise  had  no  prospect,  could  have  no  en- 
thusiasm. They  would  live  their  hard  life,  they  would 
enjoy  freedom,  they  would  die — such  would  be  their 
history.  Compared  with  that  poor  outlook,  how  good 
it  would  be  to  share  the  noble  task  of  establishing  on 
the  soil  of  Canaan  a  nation  devoted  to  truth  and 
righteousness,  in  league  with  the  living  God,  destined 
to  extend  His  kingdom  and  make  His  faith  the 
means  of  blessing  to  all.  It  was  the  great  opportunity 
of  these  nomads.  As  yet,  indeed,  there  was  no  courage 
of  religion,    no    brightness    of  enthusiasm    among  the 


X.  29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  107 

Israelites.  But  there  was  the  ark  of  the  covenant, 
there  were  the  sacrifices,  the  law ;  and  Jehovah 
Himself,  always  present  with  His  people,  was  re- 
vealing His  will  and  His  glory  by  oracle,  by  discipline 
and  deliverance. 

Now  these  Kenites  may  be  taken  as  representing  a 
class,  in  the  present  day  to  a  certain  extent  attracted, 
even  fascinated,  by  the  Church,  who  standing  irresolute 
are  appealed  to  in  terms  like  those  addressed  by  Moses 
to  Hobab.  They  feel  a  certain  charm,  for  in  the  wide 
organisation  and  vast  activity  of  the  Christian  Church, 
quite  apart  from  the  creed  on  which  it  is  based,  there 
are  signs  of  vigour  and  purpose  which  contrast 
favourably  with  endeavours  directed  to  mere  material 
gain.  In  idea  and  in  much  of  its  effort  the  Church 
is  splendidly  humane,  and  it  provides  interests,  enjoy- 
ments, both  of  an  intellectual  and  artistic  kind,  in  which 
all  can  share.  Not  so  much  its  universality  nor  its 
mission  of  converting  the  world,  nor  its  spiritual 
worship,  but  rather  the  social  advantages  and  the 
culture  it  offers  draw  towards  it  those  minds  and  lives. 
And  to  them  it  extends,  too  often  without  avail,  the 
invitation  to  join  its  march. 

Is  it  asked  why  many,  partly  fascinated,  remain  proof 
against  its  appeals  ?  why  an  increasing  number  prefer, 
like  Hobab,  the  liberty  of  the  desert,  their  own  un- 
attached, desultory,  hopeless  way  of  life  ?  The  answer 
must  partly  be  that,  as  it  is,  the  Church  does  not  fully 
commend  itself  by  its  temper,  its  enthusiasm,  its 
sincerity  and  Christianity.  It  attracts  but  is  unable  to 
command,  because  with  all  its  culture  of  art  it  does  not 
appear  beautiful,  with  all  its  claims  of  spirituality  it  is 
not  unworldly ;  because,  professing  to  exist  for  the 
redemption  of  society,  its  methods  and  standards   are 


!o8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

too  often  human  rather  than  Divine.  It  is  not  that 
the  outsider  shrinks  from  the  rehgiousness  of  the 
Church  as  overdone ;  rather  does  he  detect  a  lack  of 
that  very  quality.  He  could  believe  in  the  Divine 
calling  and  join  the  enterprise  of  the  Church  if  he  saw 
it  journeying  steadily  towards  a  better  country,  that 
is  a  heavenly.  Its  earnestness  would  then  command 
him ;  faith  would  compel  faith.  But  social  status  and 
temporal  aims  are  not  subordinated  by  the  members  of 
the  Church,  nor  even  by  its  leaders.  And  whatever  is 
done  in  the  way  of  providing  attractions  for  the 
pleasure-loving,  and  schemes  of  a  social  kind,  these, 
so  far  from  gaining  the  undecided,  rather  make  them 
less  disposed  to  believe.  More  exciting  enjoyments 
can  be  found  elsewhere.  The  Church  offering  pleasures 
and  social  reconstruction  is  attempting  to  catch  those 
outside  by  what,  from  their  point  of  view,  must  appear 
to  be  chaff. 

It  is  a  question  which  every  body  of  Christians  has 
need  to  ask  itself — Can  we  honestly  say  to  those 
without.  Come  with  us,  and  we  will  do  you  good  ? 
In  order  that  there  may  be  certainty  on  this  point, 
should  not  every  member  of  the  Church  be  able  to 
testify  that  the  faith  he  has  gives  joy  and  peace,  that 
his  fellowship  with  God  is  making  life  pure  and  strong 
and  free  ?  Should  there  not  be  a  clear  movement  of 
the  whole  body,  year  by  year,  towards  finer  spirituality, 
broader  and  more  generous  love  ?  The  gates  of 
membership  are  in  some  cases  opened  to  such  only 
as  make  very  clear  and  ample  profession.  It  does 
not,  however,  appear  that  those  already  within  have 
always  the  Christian  spirit  corresponding  to  that  high 
profession.  And  yet  as  Moses  could  invite  Hobab  and 
his  company  without  misgiving  because  Jehovah  was 


X.  29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  109 

the  Friend  and  Guide  of  Israel  and  had  spoken  good 
concerning  her,  so  because  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  and  Captain  of  her  salvation,  those  outside 
may  well  be  urged  to  join  her  fellowship.  If  all 
depended  on  the  earnestness  of  our  faith  and  the 
steadfastness  of  our  virtue  we  should  not  dare  to  invite 
others  to  join  the  march.  But  it  is  with  Christ  we  ask 
them  to  unite.  Imperfect  in  many  ways,  the  Church  is 
His,  exists  to  show  His  death,  to  proclaim  His  Gospel 
and  extend  His  power.  In  the  whole  range  of  human 
knowledge  and  experience  there  is  but  one  life  that 
is  free,  pure,  hopeful,  energetic  in  every  noble  sense, 
and  at  the  same  time  calm.  In  the  whole  range  of 
human  existence  there  is  but  one  region  in  which  the 
mind  and  the  soul  find  satisfaction  and  enlargement, 
in  which  men  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  find  true 
harmony.  That  life  and  that  region  of  existence  are 
revealed  by  Christ ;  into  them  He  only  is  the  Way. 
The  Church,  maintaining  this,  demonstrating  this,  is 
to  invite  all  who  stand  aloof.  They  who  join  Christ 
and  follow  Him  will  come  to  a  good  land,  a  heavenly 
heritage. 

The  first  invitation  given  to  Hobab  was  set  aside. 
"  Nay,"  he  said,  "  I  will  not  go ;  but  I  will  depart  to 
my  own  land  and  to  my  kindred."  The  old  ties  of 
country  and  people  were  strong  for  him.  The  true 
Arab  loves  his  country  passionately.  The  desert  is 
his  home,  the  mountains  are  his  friends.  His  hard 
life  is  a  life  of  liberty.  He  is  strongly  attached  to  his 
tribe,  which  has  its  own  traditions,  its  own  glories. 
There  have  been  feuds,  the  memory  of  which  must  be 
cherished.  There  are  heirlooms  that  give  dignity  to 
those  who  possess  them.  The  people  of  the  clan  are 
brothers  and  sisters.      Very  little   of   the  commercial 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


mingles  with  the  hfe  of  the  desert ;  so  perhaps  family 
feeling  has  the  more  power.  These  influences  Hobab 
felt,  and  this  besides  deterred  him,  that  if  he  joined 
the  Israelites  he  would  be  under  the  command  of 
Moses.  Hobab  was  prospective  head  of  his  tribe, 
already  in  partial  authority  at  least.  To  obey  the 
word  of  command  instead  of  giving  it  was  a  thing  he 
could  not  brook.  No  doubt  the  leader  of  Israel  had 
proved  himself  brave,  resolute,  wise.  He  was  a  man 
of  ardent  soul  and  fitted  for  royal  power.  But  Hobab 
preferred  the  chieftainship  of  his  own  small  clan  to 
service  under  Moses ;  and,  brought  to  the  point  of 
deciding,  he  would  not  agree. 

Freedom,  habit,  the  hopes  that  have  become  part  of 
life — these  in  like  manner  interpose  between  many 
and  a  call  which  is  known  to  be  from  God.  There  is 
restraint  within  the  circle  of  faith  ;  old  ideas,  traditional 
conceptions  of  life,  and  many  personal  ambitions  have 
to  be  relinquished  by  those  who  enter  it.  Accustomed 
to  that  Midian  where  every  man  does  according  to  the 
bent  of  his  own  will,  where  life  is  hard  but  uncontrolled, 
where  all  they  have  learned  to  care  for  and  desire  may 
be  found,  many  are  unwilling  to  choose  the  way  of 
religion,  subjection  to  the  law  of  Christ,  the  life  of 
spiritual  conflict  and  trial,  however  much  may  be  gained 
at  once  and  in  the  eternal  future.  Yet  the  Hberty  of 
their  Midian  is  illusory.  It  is  simply  freedom  to  spend 
strength  in  vain,  to  roam  from  place  to  place  where  all 
alike  are  barren,  to  climb  mountains  lightning-riven, 
swept  by  interminable  storms.  And  the  true  liberty  is 
with  Christ,  who  opens  the  prospect  of  the  soul,  and 
redeems  the  life  from  evil,  vanity,  and  fear.  The 
heavenward  march  appears  to  involve  privation  and 
CGcflict,  which  men  do  not  care   to  face.     But  is  the 


X.  29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  in 

worldly  life  free  from  enemies,  hardships,  disappoint- 
ments ?  The  choice  is,  for  many,  between  a  bare  life 
over  which  death  triumphs,  and  a  life  moving  on  over 
obstacles,  through  tribulations,  to  victory  and  glory. 
The  attractions  of  land  and  people,  set  against  those  of 
Christian  hope,  have  no  claim.  *'  Every  one,"  says  the 
Lord,  "  that  hath  left  houses,  or  brethren,  or  sisters, 
or  father,  or  mother,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  My  sa'ke, 
shall  receive  a  hundredfold,  and  shall  inherit  eternal 
life." 

Passing  on,  the  narrative  informs  us  that  Moses 
used  another  plea  :  "  Leave  us  not,  I  pray  thee ;  foras- 
much as  thou  knowest  how  we  are  to  encamp  in  the 
wilderness,  and  thou  shalt  be  to  us  instead  of  eyes." 
Hobab  did  not  respond  to  the  promise  of  advantage  to 
himself;  he  might  be  moved  by  the  hope  of  being 
useful.  Knowing  that  he  had  to  deal  with  a  man  who 
was  proud,  and  in  his  way  magnanimous,  Moses  wisely 
used  this  appeal.  And  he  used  it  frankly,  without 
pretence.  Hobab  might  do  real  and  valuable  service 
to  the  tribes  on  their  march  to  Canaan.  Accustomed 
to  the  desert,  over  which  he  had  often  travelled, 
acquainted  with  the  best  methods  of  disposing  a  camp 
in  any  given  position,  with  the  quick  eye  and  habit  of 
observation  which  the  Arab  life  gives,  Hobab  would  be 
the  very  adjutant  to  whom  Moses  might  commit  many 
details.  If  he  joins  the  tribes  on  this  footing  it  will  be 
without  pretence.  He  professes  no  greater  faith  either 
in  Israel's  destiny  or  in  Jehovah's  sole  Godhead  than 
he  really  feels.  Wishing  Israel  well,  interested  in  the 
great  experiment,  yet  not  bound  up  in  it,  he  may  give 
his  counsel  and  service  heartily  so  far  as  they  avail. 

We  are  here  introduced  to  another  phase  of  the 
relation   between   the   Church  and   those  who  do   not 


ii^  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

altogether  accept  its  creed,  or  acknowledge  its  mission 
to  be  supernatural,  Divine.  Confessing  unwillingness 
to  receive  the  Christian  system  as  a  whole,  perhaps 
openly  expressing  doubts  of  the  miraculous,  for  example, 
many  in  our  day  have  still  so  much  sympathy  with  the 
ethics  and  culture  of  Christianity  that  they  would 
willingly  associate  themselves  with  the  Church,  and 
render  it  all  the  service  in  their  power.  Their  tastes 
have  led  them  to  subjects  of  study  and  modes  of  self- 
development  not  in  the  proper  sense  religious.  Some 
are  scientific,  some  have  literary  talent,  some  artistic, 
some  financial.  The  question  may  be,  whether  the 
Church  should  invite  these  to  join  her  ranks  in  any 
capacity,  whether  room  may  be  made  for  them,  tasks 
assigned  to  them.  On  the  one  hand,  would  it  be 
dangerous  to  Christian  faith  ?  on  the  other  hand,  would 
it  involve  them  in  self-deception  ?  Let  it  be  assumed 
that  they  are  men  of  honour  and  integrity,  men  who 
aim  at  a  high  moral  standard  and  have  some  behef  in 
the  spiritual  dignity  man  may  attain.  On  this  footing 
may  their  help  be  sought  and  cordially  accepted  by  the 
Church  ? 

We  cannot  say  that  the  example  of  Moses  should  be 
taken  as  a  rule  for  Christians.  It  was  one  thing  to  invite 
the  co-operation  with  Israel  for  a  certain  specified  pur- 
pose of  an  Arab  chief  who  differed  somewhat  in  respect 
of  faith  ;  it  would  be  quite  another  thing  to  invite  one 
whose  faith,  if  he  has  any,  is  only  a  vague  theism,  to 
give  his  support  to  Christianity.  Yet  the  cases  are  so 
far  parallel  that  the  one  illustrates  the  other.  And  one 
point  appears  to  be  this,  that  the  Church  may  show 
itself  at  least  as  sympathetic  as  Israel.  Is  there  but  a 
single  note  of  unison  between  a  soul  and  Christianity  ? 
Let  that  be  recognised,  struck  again  and  again  till  it 


X.  29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  113 

is  clearly  heard.  Our  Lord  rewarded  the  faith  of  a 
Syrophoenician  woman,  of  a  Roman  centurion.  His 
religion  cannot  be  injured  by  generosity.  Attach- 
ment to  Himself  personally,  disposition  to  hear  His 
words  and  accept  His  morality,  should  be  hailed  as 
the  possible  dawn  of  faith,  not  frowned  upon  as  a 
splendid  sin.  Every  one  who  helps  sound  knowledge 
helps  the  Church.  The  enthusiast  for  true  liberty  has 
a  point  of  contact  with  Him  whose  truth  gives  freedom. 
The  Church  is  a  spiritual  city  with  gates  that  stand 
wide  open  day  and  night  towards  every  region  and 
condition  of  human  life,  towards  the  north  and  south,  the 
east  and  west.  If  the  wealthy  are  disposed  to  help,  let 
them  bring  their  treasures  ;  if  the  learned  devote  them- 
selves reverently  and  patiently  to  her  literature,  let 
their  toil  be  acknowledged.  Science  has  a  tribute  that 
should  be  highly  valued,  for  it  is  gathered  from  the 
works  of  God  ;  and  art  of  every  kind — of  the  poet,  the 
musician,  the  sculptor,  the  painter — may  assist  the  cause 
of  Divine  religion.  The  powers  men  have  are  given 
by  Him  who  claims  all  as  His  own.  The  vision  of 
Isaiah  in  which  he  saw  Tarshish  and  the  isles,  Sheba 
and  Seba  offering  gifts  to  the  temple  of  God,  did  not 
assume  that  the  tribute  was  in  all  cases  that  of  covenant 
love.  And  the  Church  of  Christ  has  broader  human 
sympathy  and  better  right  to  the  service  of  the  world 
than  Isaiah  knew.  For  the  Church's  good,  and  for  the 
good  of  those  who  may  be  willing  in  any  way  to  aid 
her  work  and  development,  all  gifts  should  be  gladly 
received,  and  those  who  stand  hesitating  should  be 
invited  to  serve. 

But  the  analogy  of  the  invitation  to  Hobab  involves 
another  point  which  must  always  be  kept  in  view.  It 
is  this,  that  the  Church  is  not  to  slacken  her  march  not 


14  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


divert  her  march  in  any  degree  because  men  not  fully 
in  sympathy  with  her  join  the  company  and  contribute 
their  service.  The  Kenite  may  cast  in  his  lot  with  the 
Israelites  and  aid  them  with  his  experience.  But  Moses 
will  not  cease  to  lead  the  tribes  towards  Canaan,  will 
not  delay  their  progress  a  single  day  for  Hobab's 
sake.  Nor  will  he  less  earnestly  claim  sole  Godhead 
for  Jehovah,  and  insist  that  every  sacrifice  shall  be 
made  to  Him  and  every  life  kept  holy  in  His  way, 
for  His  service.  Perhaps  the  Kenite  faith  differed 
little  in  its  elements  from  that  which  the  Israelites 
inherited.  It  may  have  been  monotheistic ;  and  we 
know  that  part  of  the  worship  was  by  way  of  sacrifice 
not  unlike  that  appointed  by  the  Mosaic  law.  But  it 
had  neither  the  wide  ethical  basis  nor  the  spiritual  aim 
and  intensity  which  Moses  had  been  the  means  of 
imparting  to  Israel's  religion.  And  from  the  ideas 
revealed  to  him  and  embodied  in  the  moral  and  cere- 
monial law  he  could  not  for  the  sake  of  Hobab  resile 
in  the  least.  There  should  be  no  adjustment  of  creed 
or  ritual  to  meet  the  views  of  the  new  ally.  Onward 
to  Canaan,  onward  also  along  the  lines  of  religious 
duty  and  development,  the  tribes  would  hold  their  way 
as  before. 

In  modern  alliances  with  the  Church  a  danger  is 
involved,  sufficiently  apparent  to  all  who  regard  the 
state  of  religion.  History  is  full  of  instances  in  which, 
to  one  company  of  helpers  and  another,  too  much 
has  been  conceded  ;  and  the  march  of  spiritual  Chris- 
tianity is  still  greatly  impeded  by  the  same  thing. 
Money  contributed,  by  whom.soever,  is  held  to  give 
the  donors  a  right  to  take  their  place  in  councils  of 
the  Church,  or  at  least  to  sway  decision  now  in  one 
direction,  now  in  another.     Prestige  is  offered  with  the 


X.  29-36.]  HO  BAB   THE  KENITE  115 

tacit  understanding  that  it  shall  be  repaid  with  deference. 
The  artist  uses  his  skill,  but  not  in  subordination  to 
the  ideas  of  spiritual  religion.  He  assumes  the  right 
to  give  them  his  own  colour,  and'  may  even,  while 
professing  to  serve  Christianity,  sensualise  its  teaching. 
Scholarship  offers  help,  but  is  not  content  to  submit 
to  Christ.  Having  been  allowed  to  join  itself  with 
the  Church,  it  proceeds,  not  infrequently,  to  play  the 
traitor's  part,  assailing  the  faith  it  was  invoked  to  serve. 
Those  who  care  more  for  pleasure  than  for  religion 
may  within  a  certain  range  find  gratification  in  Chris- 
tian worship ;  they  are  apt  to  claim  more  and  still 
more  of  the  element  that  meets  their  taste.  And  those 
who  are  bent  on  social  reconstruction  would  often, 
without  any  thought  of  doing  wrong,  divert  the  Church 
entirely  from  its  spiritual  mission.  When  all  these 
influences  are  taken  into  account,  it  will  be  seen  that 
Christianity  has  to  go  its  way  amid  perils.  It  must 
not  be  unsympathetic.  But  those  to  whom  its  camp  is 
opened,  instead  of  helping  the  advance,  may  neutralise 
the  whole  enterprise. 

Every  Church  has  great  need  at  present  to  consider 
whether  that  clear  spiritual  aim  which  ought  to  be  the 
constant  guide  is  not  forgotten,  at  least  occasionally, 
for  the  sake  of  this  or  that  alliance  supposed  to  be 
advantageous.  It  is  difficult  to  find  the  mean,  difficult 
to  say  who  serve  the  Church,  who  hinder  its  success. 
More  difficult  still  is  it  to  distinguish  those  who  are 
heartily  with  Christianity  from  those  who  are  only  so 
in  appearance,  having  some  nostrum  of  their  own  to 
promote.  Hobab  may  decide  to  go  with  Israel ;  but 
the  invitation  he  accepts,  perhaps  with  an  air  of 
superiority,  of  one  conferring  a  favour,  is  really  ex- 
tended to  him  for  his  good,  for  the  saving  of  his  life. 


Ii6  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Let  there  be  no  blowing  of  the  silver  trumpets  to 
announce  that  a  prince  of  the  Kenites  henceforth 
journeys  with  Israel ;  they  were  not  made  for  that  I 
Let  there  be  no  flaunting  of  a  gay  ensign  over  his 
tent.  We  shall  find  that  a  day  comes  when  the  men 
who  stand  by  true  religion  have — perhaps  through 
Kenite  influence — the  whole  congregation  to  face.  So 
it  is  in  Churches.  On  the  other  hand,  Pharisaism  is 
a  great  danger,  equally  tending  to  destroy  the  value 
of  religion  ;  and  Providence  ever  mingles  the  elements 
that  enter  into  the  counsels  of  Christianity,  challeng- 
ing the  highest  wisdom,  courage,  and  charity  of  the 
faithful. 

The  closing  verses  of  chap.  x.  (33-6),  belonging, 
like  the  passage  just  considered,  to  the  prophetic 
narrative,  affirm  that  the  ark  was  borne  from  Sinai 
three  days'  journey  before  the  host  to  find  a  halting- 
place.  The  reconciliation  between  this  statement  and 
the  order  which  places  the  ark  in  the  centre  of  the 
march,  may  be  that  the  ideal  plan  was  at  the  outset 
not  observed,  for  some  sufficient  reason.  The  absolute 
sincerity  of  the  compilers  of  the  Book  of  Numbers  is 
shown  in  their  placing  almost  side  by  side  the  two 
statements  without  any  attempt  to  harmonise.  Both 
were  found  in  the  ancient  documents,  and  both  were 
set  down  in  good  faith.  The  scribes  into  whose  hands 
the  old  records  came  did  not  assume  the  role  of  critics. 

At  the  beginning  of  every  march  Moses  is  reported 
to  have  used  the  chant  :  ''  Rise  up,  O  Jehovah,  and 
let  Thine  enemies  be  scattered  ;  and  let  them  that  hate 
Thee  flee  before  Thee."  When  the  ark  rested  he 
said  :  "  Return,  O  Jehovah,  unto  the  ten  thousands 
of  the  thousands  of  Israel."     The  former  is  the  open- 


29-36.]  HOBAB   THE  KENITE  it; 


ing  strain  of  Psalm  Ixviii.,  and  its  magnificent  strophes 
move  towards  the  idea  of  that  rest  which  Israel  finds 
in  the  protection  of  her  God.  Part  of  the  ode  returns 
upon  the  desert  journey,  adding  some  features  and 
incidents  omitted  in  the  narrations  of  the  Pentateuch — 
such  as  the  plentiful  rain  which  refreshed  the  weary 
tribes,  the  publishing  by  women  of  some  Divine  oracle. 
But  on  the  whole  the  psalm  agrees  with  the  history, 
making  Sinai  the  scene  of  the  great  revelation  of  God, 
and  indicating  the  guidance  He  gave  through  the 
wilderness  by  means  of  the  cloudy  pillar.  The  chants 
of  Moses  would  be  echoed  by  the  people,  and  would 
help  to  maintain  the  sense  of  constant  relation  between 
the  tribes  and  their  unseen  Defender. 

Through  the  wilderness  Israel  went,  not  knowing 
from  what  quarter  the  sudden  raid  of  a  desert  people 
might  be  made.  Swiftly,  silently,  as  if  springing  out 
of  the  very  sand,  the  Arab  raiders  might  bear  down 
upon  the  travellers.  They  were  assured  of  the 
guardianship  of  Him  whose  eye  never  slumbered,  when 
they  kept  His  way  and  held  themselves  at  His  com- 
mand. Here  the  resemblance  to  our  case  in  the 
journey  of  life  is  clear ;  and  we  are  reminded  of  our 
need  of  defence  and  the  only  terms  on  which  we  may 
expect  it.  We  may  look  for  protection  against  those 
who  are  the  enemies  of  God.  But  we  have  no  warrant 
for  assuming  that  on  whatever  errand  we  are  bound 
we  have  but  to  invoke  the  Divine  arm  in  order  to  be 
secure.  The  dreams  of  those  who  think  their  personal 
claim  on  God  may  always  be  urged  have  no  counten- 
ance in  the  prayer,  ''  Rise  up,  O  Jehovah,  and  let  Thine 
enemies  be  scattered."  And  as  Israel  settling  to  rest 
after  some  weary  march  could  enjoy  the  sense  of 
Jehovah's  presence  only  if  the  duties  of  the  day  had 


ii8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

been  patiently  done,  and  the  thought  of  God's  will  had 
made  peace  in  every  tribe,  and  His  promise  had  given 
courage  and  hope — so  for  us,  each  day  will  close  with 
the  Divine  benediction  when  we  have  ''  fought  a  good 
fight  and  kept  the  faith."  Fidelity  there  must  be ;  or, 
if  it  has  failed,  the  deep  repentance  that  subdues 
wandering  desire  and  rebellious  will,  bringing  the 
whole  of  life  anew  into  the  way  of  lowly   service. 


IX 

THE  STRAIN  OF  THE  DESERT  JOURNEY 
Numbers  xi 

THE  narrative  has  accompanied  the  march  of  Israel 
but  a  short  way  from  the  mount  of  God  to  some 
spot  marked  for  an  encampment  by  the  ark  of  the 
covenant,  and  already  complaining  has  to  be  told  of, 
and  the  swift  judgment  of  those  who  complained.  The 
Israelites  have  made  a  reservation  in  their  covenant 
with  God,  that  though  obedience  and  trust  are  solemnly 
promised,  yet  leave  shall  be  taken  to  murmur  against 
His  providence.  They  will  have  God  for  their  Pro- 
tector, they  will  worship  Him ;  but  let  Him  make  their 
life  smooth.  Much  has  had  to  be  borne  which  they 
did  not  anticipate;  and  they  grumble  and  speak  evil. 
Generally  men  do  not  realise  that  their  murmuring 
is  against  God.,  They  have  no  intention  to  accuse  His 
providence.  It  is  of  other  men  they  complain,  who 
come  in  their  way;  of  accidents,  so  called,  for  which 
no  one  seems  to  be  responsible ;  of  regulations,  well 
enough  meant,  which  at  some  point  prove  vexatious; 
the  obtuseness  and  carelessness  of  those  who  undertake 
but  do  not  perform.  And  there  does  seem  to  be  a 
great  difference  between  displeasure  with  human  agents 
whose  follies  and  failures  provoke  us,  and  discontent 
with  our  own  lot  and  its  trials.     At  the  same  time,  this 

119 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


has  to  be  kept  in  view,  that  while  we  carefully  refrain 
from  criticising  Providence,  there  may  be,  underlying 
our  complaints,  a  tacit  opinion  that  the  world  is  not 
well  made  nor  well  ordered.  To  a  certain  extent  the 
persons  who  irritate  us  are  responsible  for  their  mis- 
takes ;  but  just  among  those  who  are  prone  to  err  our 
discipline  has  been  appointed.  To  gird  at  them  is  as 
much  a  revolt  against  the  Creator  as  to  complain 
of  the  heat  of  summer  or  the  winter  cold.  With  our 
knowledge  of  what  the  world  is,  of  what  our  fellow- 
creatures  are,  should  go  the  perception  that  God  rules 
everywhere  and  stands  against  us  when  we  resent 
what,  in  His  world,  we  have  to  do  or  to  suffer.  He 
is  against  those  who  fail  in  duty  also.  Yet  it  is  not 
for  us  to  be  angry.  Our  due  will  not  be  withheld. 
Even  when  we  suffer  most  it  is  still  offered,  still  given. 
While  we  endeavour  to  remedy  the  evils  we  feel,  it 
must  be  without  a  thought  that  the  order  appointed 
by  the  Great  King  fails  us  at  any  point. 

The  punishment  of  those  who  complained  is  spoken 
of  as  swift  and  terrible.  "  The  fire  of  the  Lord  burnt 
among  them,  and  devoured  in  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
camp."  This  judgment  falls  under  a  principle  assumed 
throughout  the  whole  book,  that  disaster  must  overtake 
transgressors,  and  conversely  that  death  by  pestilence, 
earthquake,  or  lightning  is  invariably  a  result  of  sin. 
For  the  Israelites  this  was  one  of  the  convictions  that 
maintained  a  sense  of  moral  duty  and  of  the  danger 
of  offending  God.  Again  and  again  in  the  wilderness, 
where  thunderstorms  were  common  and  plagues  spread 
rapidly,  the  impression  was  strongly  confirmed  that 
the  Most  High  observed  everything  that  was  done 
against  His  will.  The  journey  to  Canaan  brought  in 
this  way  a  new  experience  of  God  to  those  who  had 


xi.]  THE  STRAIN  OF  THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         121 

been  accustomed  to  the  equable  conditions  of  climate 
and  the  comparative  health  enjoyed  in  Egypt.  The 
moral  education  of  the  people  advanced  by  the  quicken- 
ing of  conscience  in  regard  to  all  that  befell  Israel. 

From  the  disaster  at  Taberah  the  narrative  passes 
to  another  phase  of  complaint  in  which  the  whole  camp 
was  involved.  The  dissatisfaction  began  amongst  the 
"  mixed  multitude  " — that  somewhat  lawless  crowd  of 
low-caste  Egyptians  and  people  of  the  Delta  and  the 
wilderness  who  attached  themselves  to  the  host. 
Among  them  first,  because  they  had  absolutely  no 
interest  in  Israel's  hope,  a  disposition  to  quarrel  with 
their  circumstances  would  naturally  arise.  But  the 
spirit  of  dissatisfaction  grew  apace,  and  the  burden  of 
the  new  complaint  was  :  "  We  have  nought  but  this 
manna  to  look  to."  The  part  of  the  desert  into  which 
the  travellers  had  now  penetrated  was  even  more  sterile 
than  Midian.  Hitherto  the  food  had  been  varied  some- 
what b}^  occasional  fruits  and  the  abundant  milk  of 
kine  and  goats.  But  pasturage  for  the  cattle  was 
scanty  in  the  wilderness  of  Paran,  and  there  were  no 
trees  of  any  kind.  Appetite  found  nothing  that  was 
refreshing.     Their  soul  was  dried  away. 

It  was  a  common  belief  in  our  Lord's  time  that  the 
manna,  falling  from  heaven,  very  food  of  the  angels, 
had  been  so  satisfying,  so  deUcious,  that  no  people 
could  have  been  more  favoured  than  those  who  ate  of 
it.  When  Christ  spoke  of  the  meat  which  endureth 
unto  eternal  life,  the  thought  of  His  hearers  immediately 
turned  to  the  manna  as  the  special  gift  of  God  to  their 
fathers,  and  they  conceived  an  expectation  that  Jesus 
would  give  them  that  bread  of  heaven,  and  so  prove 
Himself  worthy  of  their  faith.  But  He  replied,  ''  Moses 
gave  you  not  that  bread  out  of  heaven,  but  My  Father 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


g'iveth  you  the  true  bread  out  of  heaven.  I  am  the 
Bread  of  Life." 

In  the  course  of  time  the  manna  had  been,  so  to 
speak,  glorified.  It  appeared  to  the  later  generations 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  and  impressive  things 
recorded  in  the  whole  history  of  their  nation,  this 
provision  made  for  the  wandering  host.  There  was 
the  water  from  the  rock,  and  there  was  the  manna. 
What  a  benignant  Providence  had  watched  over  the 
tribes  I  How  bountiful  God  had  been  to  the  people 
in  the  old  days  !  They  longed  for  a  sign  of  the  same 
kind.  To  enjoy  it  would  restore  their  faith  and  put 
them  again  in  the  high  position  which  had  been  denied 
for  ages. 

But  these  notions  are  not  borne  out  by  the  history 
as  we  have  it  in  the  passage  under  notice.  Nothing 
is  said  about  angels'  food — that  is  a  poetical  expression 
which  a  psalmist  used  in  his  fervour.  Here  we  read, 
as  to  the  coming  of  the  manna,  that  when  the  dew  fell 
upon  the  camp  at  night  the  manna  fell  upon  it,  or 
with  it.  And  so  far  from  the  people  being  satisfied, 
they  complained  that  instead  of  the  fish  and  onions, 
cucumbers  and  melons  of  Egypt,  they  had  nothing  but 
manna  to  eat.  The  taste  of  it  is  described  as  like  that 
of  fresh  oil.  In  Exodus  it  is  said  to  have  resembled 
wafers  mixed  with  honey.  It  was  not  the  privilege 
of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  but  their  necessity 
to  live  on  this  somewhat  cloying  food.  In  no  sense 
can  it  be  called  ideal.  Nevertheless,  complaining 
about  it,  they  were  in  serious  fault,  betraying  the 
foolish  expectation  that  on  the  way  to  liberty  they 
should  have  no  privations.  And  their  discontent  with 
the  manna  soon  became  alarming  to  Moses.  A  sort 
of  hysteria  spread  through  the  camp.     Not  the  women 


xi.J  THE  STRAIN  OF  THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         123 

only,  but  the  men  at  the  doors  of  their  tents  bewailed 
their  hard  lot.     There  was  a  tempest  of  tears  and  cries. 

God,  through  His  providence,  determining  for  men, 
carrying  out  His  own  designs  for  their  good,  does  not 
allow  them  to  keep  in  the  region  of  the  usual  and  of 
mere  comfort.  Something  is  brought  into  their  hfe 
which  stirs  the  soul.  In  new  hope  they  begin  an 
enterprise  the  course  and  end  of  which  they  cannot 
foresee.  The  conventional,  the  pleasant,  the  peace  and 
abundance  of  Egypt,  can  be  no  longer  enjoyed  if  the 
soul  is  to  have  its  own.  By  Moses  Jehovah  summoned 
the  Israelites  from  the  land  of  plenty  to  fulfil  a  high 
mission ;  and  when  they  responded,  it  was  so  far  a 
proof  that  there  was  in  them  spirit  enough  for  an 
uncommon  destiny.  But  for  the  accomplishment  of  it 
they  had  to  be  nerved  and  braced  by  trial.  Their 
ordeal  was  that  mortifying  of  the  flesh  and  of  sensuous 
desire  which  must  be  undergone  if  the  hopes  through 
which  the  mind  becomes  conscious  of  the  will  of  God 
are  to  be  fulfilled. 

In  our  personal  history  God,  reaching  us  by  His 
word,  enlightening  us  with  regard  to  the  true  ends  of 
our  being,  calls  us  to  begin  a  journey  which  has  no 
earthly  terminus  and  promises  no  earthly  reward.  We 
may  be  quite  sure  that  we  have  not  yet  responded  to 
His  callif  there  is  nothing  of  the  wilderness  in  our  life, 
no  hardship,  no  adventure,  no  giving  up  of  what  is 
good  in  a  temporal  sense  for  what  is  good  in  a  spiritual 
sense.  The  very  essence  of  the  design  of  God  con- 
cerning a  man  is  that  he  leave  the  lower  and  seek 
the  higher,  that  he  deny  himself  that  which  according 
to  the  popular  view  is  his  life,  in  order  to  seek  a 
remote  and  lofty  goal.  There  will  be  duty  that  calls 
for  faith,  that  needs  hope  and  courage.      In  doing  it 


124  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

he  will  have  recurring  trials  of  his  spirit,  necessities 
of  self-discipline,  stern  difficulties  of  choice  and  action. 
Every  one  of  these  he  must  face. 

What  is  wrong  with  many  lives  is  that  they  have 
no  strain  in  them  as  of  a  desert  journey  towards  a 
heavenly  Canaan,  the  realisation  of  spiritual  life.  Ad- 
venture, when  it  is  undertaken,  is  often  for  the  sake 
of  getting  fish  and  melons  and  cucumbers  by-and-by 
in  greater  abundance  and  of  better  kinds.  Many  live 
hardly  just  now,  not  because  they  are  on  the  way  to 
spiritual  freedom  and  the  high  destiny  of  life  in  God, 
but  because  they  believe  themselves  to  be  on  the  way 
to  better  social  position,  to  wealth  or  honour.  But 
take  the  life  that  has  begun  its  high  enterprise  at  the 
urgency  of  a  Divine  vocation,  and  that  life  will  find 
hardness,  deprivations,  perils,  of  its  own.  It  is  not 
given  to  us  to  be  absolutely  certain  in  decision  and  en- 
deavour. Out  in  the  wilderness,  even  when  manna  is 
provided,  and  the  pillar  of  cloud  seems  to  show  the 
way,  the  people  of  God  are  in  danger  of  doubting 
whether  they  have  done  wisely,  whether  they  have  not 
taken  too  much  upon  themselves  or  laid  too  much  upon 
the  Lord.  The  Israelites  might  have  said,  We  have 
obeyed  God :  why,  then,  should  the  sun  smite  us  with 
burning  heat,  and  the  dust-storms  sweep  down  upon 
our  march,  and  the  night  fall  with  so  bitter  a  chill  ? 
Interminable  toil,  in  travelling,  in  attending  to  cattle 
and  domestic  duties,  in  pitching  tents  and  striking 
them,  gathering  fuel,  searching  far  and  wide  through 
the  camp  for  food,  helping  the  children,  carrying  the 
sick  and  aged,  toil  that  did  not  cease  till  far  into  the 
night  and  had  to  be  resumed  with  early  morning — 
such,  no  doubt,  were  the  things  that  made  life  in  the 
wilderness  irksome.     And  although  many  now  have  a 


xi.]  THE  STRAIN  OF   THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         125 

lighter  burden,  yet  our  social  life,  adding  new  diffi- 
culties with  every  improvement,  our  domestic  affairs, 
the  continual  struggle  necessary  in  labour  and  business, 
furnish  not  a  few  causes  of  irritation  and  of  bitterness. 
God  does  not  remove  annoyances  out  of  the  way  even 
of  His  devoted  servants.  We  remember  how  Paul 
was  vexed  and  burdened  while  carrying  the  world's 
thought  on  into  a  new  day.  We  remember  what  a 
weight  the  infirmities  and  treacheries  of  men  laid  upon 
the  heart  of  Christ. 

Let  us  thank  God  if  we  feel  sometimes  across  the 
wilderness  a  breeze  from  the  hills  of  the  heavenly 
Canaan,  and  now  and  then  catch  glimpses  of  them  far 
away.  But  the  manna  may  seem  flat  and  tasteless, 
nevertheless ;  the  road  may  seem  long ;  the  sun  may 
scorch.  Tempted  to  despond,  we  need  afresh  to  assure 
ourselves  that  God  is  faithful  who  has  given  us  His 
promise.  And  although  we  seem  to  be  led  not  towards 
the  heavenly  frontier,  but  often  aside  through  close 
defiles  into  some  region  more  barren  and  dismal  than 
we  have  yet  crossed,  doubt  is  not  for  us.  He  knoweth 
the  way  that  we  take  ;  when  He  has  tried  us,  we  shall 
come  forth  where  He  appoints. 

From  the  people  we  turn  to  Moses  and  the  strain  he 
had  to  bear  as  leader.  Partly  it  was  due  to  his  sense 
of  the  wrath  of  God  against  Israel.  To  a  certain 
extent  he  was  responsible  for  those  he  led,  for  nothing 
he  had  done  was  apart  from  his  own  will.  The  enter- 
prise was  laid  on  him  as  a  duty  certainly ;  yet  he 
undertook  it  freely.  Such  as  the  Israelites  were,  with 
that  mixed  multitude  among  them,  a  dangerous  element 
enough,  Moses  had  personally  accepted  the  leadership 
of  them.  And  now  the  murmuring,  the  lusting,  the 
childish  weeping,  fall  upon  him.     He  feels  that  he  must 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


Stand  between  the  people  and  Jehovah.  The  be- 
haviour of  the  multitude  vexes  him  to  the  soul ;  yet 
he  must  take  their  part,  and  avert,  if  possible,  their 
condemnation. 

The  position  is  one  in  which  a  leader  of  men  often 
finds  himself.  Things  are  done  which  affront  him  per- 
sonally, yet  he  cannot  turn  against  the  wayward  and 
unbelieving,  for,  if  he  did,  the  cause  would  be  lost. 
The  Divine  judgment  of  the  transgressors  falls  on  him 
all  the  more  because  they  themselves  are  unaware  of  it. 
The  burden  such  an  one  has  to  sustain  points  directly 
to  the  sin-bearing  of  Christ.  Wounded  to  the  soul  by 
the  wrong-doing  of  men.  He  had  to  interpose  between 
them  and  the  stroke  of  the  law,  the  judgment  of  God. 
And  may  not  Moses  be  said  to  be  a  type  of  Christ? 
The  parallel  may  well  be  drawn  ;  yet  the  imperfect 
mediation  of  Moses  fell  far  short  of  the  perfect  mediation 
of  our  Lord.  The  narrative  here  reflects  that  partial 
knowledge  of  the  Divine  character  which  made  the  media- 
tion of  Moses  human  and  erring  for  all  its  greatness. 

For  one  thing  Moses  exaggerated  his  own  responsi- 
bihty.  He  asked  of  God :  ''  Why  hast  Thou  evil 
entreated  Thy  servant?  Why  dost  Thou  lay  the 
burden  of  all  this  people  upon  me  ?  Am  I  their  father  ? 
Am  I  to  carry  the  whole  multitude  as  a  father  carries 
his  young  child  in  his  bosom  ?  "  These  are  ignorant 
words,  fooHsh  words.  Moses  is  responsible,  but  not 
to  that  extent.  It  is  fit  that  he  should  be  grieved 
when  the  Israelites  do  wrong,  but  not  proper  that  he 
should  charge  God  with  laying  on  him  the  duty  of 
keeping  and  carrying  them  like  children.  He  speaks 
unadvisedly  with  his  lips. 

Responsibility  of  those  who  endeavour  to  lead  others 
has  its  limits ;  and  the  range  of  duty  is  bounded  in 


xi.]  THE  STRAIN  OF  THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         127 

two  ways — on  the  one  hand  by  the  responsibility 
of  men  for  themselves,  on  the  other  hand  by  God's 
responsibility  for  them,  God's  care  of  them.  Moses 
should  see  that  no  law  or  ordinance  makes  him  charge- 
able with  the  childish  lamentations  of  those  who  know 
they  should  not  complain,  who  ought  to  be  manly 
add  endure  with  stout  hearts.  If  persons  who  can 
go  on  their  own  feet  want  to  be  carried,  no  one 
is  responsible  for  carrying  them.  It  is  their  own 
fault  when  they  are  left  behind.  If  those  who  can 
think  and  discover  duty  for  themselves,  desire  con- 
stantly to  have  it  pointed  out  to  them,  crave  daily 
encouragement  in  doing  their  duty,  and  complain 
because  they  are  not  sufficiently  considered,  the  leader, 
like  Moses,  is  not  responsible.  Every  man  must  bear 
his  own  burden — that  is,  must  bear  the  burden  of  duty, 
of  thought,  of  effort,  so  far  as  his  ability  goes. 

Then,  on  the  other  side,  the  power  of  God  is  beneath 
all,  His  care  extends  over  all.  Moses  ought  not  for  a 
moment  to  doubt  Jehovah's  mindfulness  of  His  people. 
Men  who  hold  office  in  society  or  the  Church  are 
never  to  think  that  their  effort  is  commensurate  with 
God's.  Proud  indeed  he  would  be  who  said :  "  The 
care  of  all  these  souls  lies  on  me  :  if  they  are  to  be 
saved,  I  must  save  them  ;  if  they  perish,  I  shall  be 
chargeable  with  their  blood."  Speaking  ignorantly  and 
in  haste,  Moses  went  almost  that  length ;  but  his  error 
is  not  to  be  repeated.  The  charge  of  the  Church  and 
of  the  world  is  God's ;  and  He  never  fails  to  do  for  all 
and  for  each  what  is  right.  The  teacher  of  men,  the 
leader  of  affairs,  with  full  sympathy  and  indefatigable 
love,  is  to  do  all  he  can,  yet  never  trench  on  the  re- 
sponsibility of  men  for  their  own  life,  or  assume  to 
himself  the  part  of  Providence. 


128  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Moses  made  one  mistake  and  went  on  to  another. 
He  was  on  the  whole  a  man  of  rare  patience  and 
meekness ;  yet  on  this  occasion  he  spoke  to  Jehovah 
in  terms  of  daring  resentment.  His  cry  was  to  get 
rid  of  the  whole  enterprise  :  '^  If  Thou  deal  thus  with 
me,  kill  me,  I  pray  Thee,  out  of  hand,  and  let  me  not 
see  my  wretchedness."  He  seemed  to  himself  to  have 
this  work  to  do  and  no  other,  apparently  imagining  that 
if  he  was  not  competent  for  this,  he  could  be  of  no  use 
in  the  world.  But  even  if  he  had  failed  as  a  leader, 
highest  in  office,  he  might  have  been  fit  enough  for  a 
secondary  place,  under  Joshua  or  some  other  whom 
God  might  inspire  :  this  he  failed  to  see.  And  although 
he  was  bound  up  in  Israel's  well-being,  so  that  if  the 
expedition  did  not  prosper  he  had  no  wish  to  live,  and 
was  so  far  sincerely  patriotic,  yet  what  good  end  could 
his  death  serve?  The  desire  to  die  shows  wounded 
pride.  Better  live  on  and  turn  shepherd  again.  No 
man  is  to  despise  his  life,  whatever  it  is,  however  it 
may  seem  to  come  short  of  the  high  ambition  he  has 
cherished  as  a  servant  of  God  and  men.  Discovering 
that  in  one  line  of  endeavour  he  cannot  do  all  he 
would,  let  him  make  trial  of  others,  not  pray  for 
death. 

The  narrative  represents  God  as  dealing  graciously 
with  his  erring  servant.  Help  was  provided  for  him 
by  the  appointment  of  seventy  elders,  who  were  to 
share  the  task  of  guiding  and  controlling  the  tribes. 
These  seventy  were  to  have  a  portion  of  the  leader's 
spirit — zeal  and  enthusiasm  hke  his  own.  Their  influ- 
ence in  the  camp  would  prevent  the  faithlessness  and 
dejection  which  threatened  to  wreck  the  Hebrew  enter- 
prise. Further,  the  murmuring  of  the  people  was  to 
be  effectually  silenced.     Flesh  was  to  be  given   them 


xi.]  THE  STRAIN  OF   THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         129 

till  they  loathed  it.  They  should  learn  that  the  satis- 
faction of  ignorant  desire  meant  punishment  rather  than 
pleasure. 

The  promise  of  flesh  was  speedily  fulfilled  by  an 
extraordinary  flight  of  quails,  brought  up,  according  to 
the  seventy-eighth  Psalm,  by  a  wind  which  blew  from 
the  south  and  east — that  is,  from  the  Elanitic  Gulf. 
These  quails  cannot  sustain  themselves  long  on  the 
wing,  and  after  crossing  the  desert  some  thirty  or  forty 
miles  they  would  scarcely  be  able  to  fly.  The  enormous 
numbers  of  them  which  fluttered  around  the  camp  are 
not  beyond  ordinary  possibility.  Fowls  of  this  kind 
migrate  at  certain  seasons  in  such  enormous  multi- 
tudes that  in  the  small  island  of  Capri,  near  Naples, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  have  been  netted  in 
one  season.  When  exhausted,  they  would  easily  be 
taken  as  they  flew  at  a  height  of  about  two  cubits 
above  the  ground.  The  whole  camp  was  engaged  in 
capturing  quails  from  one  morning  to  the  evening  of 
the  following  day ;  and  the  quantity  was  so  great  that 
he  who  gathered  least  had  ten  homers,  probably  a  heap 
estimated  to  be  of  that  measure.  To  keep  them  for 
further  use  the  birds  were  prepared  and  spread  on  the 
ground  to  dry  in  the  sun. 

When  the  epidemic  of  weeping  broke  out  through 
the  camp,  the  doubt  occurred  to  Moses  whether  there 
was  any  spiritual  quality  in  the  people,  any  fitness  for 
duty  or  destiny  of  a  religious  kind.  They  seemed  to 
be  all  unbehevers  on  whom  the  goodness  of  God  and 
the  sacred  instruction  had  been  wasted.  They  were 
earthly  and  sensual.  How  could  they  ever  trust  God 
enough  to  reach  Canaan  ? — or  if  they  reached  it,  how 
would  their  occupation  of  it  be  justified  ?  They  would 
but   form   another  heathen   nation,  all  the  worse  that 

9 


I30  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

they  had  once  known  the  true  God  and  had  abandoned 
Him.  But  a  different  view  of  things  was  presented  to 
Moses  when  the  chosen  elders,  men  of  worth,  were 
gathered  at  the  tent  of  meeting,  and  on  a  sudden 
impulse  of  the  Spirit  began  to  prophesy.  As  these 
men  in  loud  and  ecstatic  language  proclaimed  their 
faith,  Moses  found  his  confidence  in  Jehovah's  power 
and  in  the  destiny  of  Israel  re-established.  His  mind 
was  relieved  at  once  of  the  burden  of  responsibility 
and  the  dread  of  an  extinction  of  the  heavenly  light  he 
had  been  the  means  of  kindling  among  the  tribes.  If 
there  were  seventy  men  capable  of  receiving  the  Sj^irit 
of  God,  there  might  be  hundreds,  even  thousands.  A 
spring  of  new  enthusiasm  is  opened,  and  Israel's  future 
is  again  possible. 

Now  there  were  two  men,  Eldad  and  Medad,  who 
were  of  the  seventy,  but  had  not  come  to  the  tent  of 
meeting,  where  the  prophetic  spirit  fell  upon  the  rest. 
They  had  not  heard  the  summons,  we  may  suppose. 
Unaware  of  what  was  taking  place  at  the  tabernacle, 
yet  reahsing  the  honour  conferred  upon  them,  they 
were  perhaps  engaged  in  ordinary  duties,  or,  having 
found  some  need  for  their  interference,  they  may  have 
been  rebuking  murmurers  and  endeavouring  to  restore 
order  among  the  unruly.  And  suddenly  they  also, 
under  the  same  influence  as  the  other  sixty-eight,  began 
to  prophesy.  The  spirit  of  earnestness  caught  them. 
With  the  same  ecstasy  the}^  declared  their  faith  and 
praised  the  God  of  Israel. 

There  was  in  one  sense  a  limitation  of  the  spirit  of 
prophecy,  whatever  it  was.  Of  all  the  host  only  the 
seventy  received  it.  Other  good  men  and  true  in 
Israel  that  day  might  have  seemed  as  capable  of  the 
heavenly    endowment    as    those   who    prophesied.     It 


.]  THE  STRAIN  OF   THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         131 


was,  however,  in  harmony  with  a  known  principle  that 
the  men  designated  to  special  office  alone  received  the 
gift.  The  sense  of  a  choice  felt  to  be  that  of  God  does 
unquestionably  exalt  the  mind  and  spirit  of  those 
chosen.  They  realise  that  they  stand  higher  and  must 
do  more  for  God  and  men  than  others,  that  they  are 
inspired  to  say  what  otherwise  they  could  not  dare  to 
say.  The  limitation  of  the  Spirit  in  this  sense  is  not 
invariable,  is  not  strict.  At  no  time  in  the  world's 
history  has  the  call  to  office  been  indispensable  to 
prophetic  fervour  and  courage.  Yet  the  sequence  is' 
sufficiently  common  to  be  called  a  law. 

But  while  in  a  sense  there  is  restriction  of  the 
spiritual  influence,  in  another  sense  there  is  no  restraint. 
The  Divine  afQatus  is  not  confined  to  those  who  have 
gathered  at  the  tabernacle.  It  is  not  place  or  occasion 
that  makes  the  prophets ;  it  is  the  Spirit,  the  power 
from  on  high  entering  into  life ;  and  out  in  the  camp 
the  two  have  their  portion  of  the  new  energy  and  zeal. 
Spiritual  influence,  then,  is  not  confined  to  any  particular 
place.  Neither  was  the  neighbourhood  of  the  tabernacle 
so  holy  that  there  alone  the  elders  could  receive  their 
gift ;  nor  is  any  place  of  meeting,  any  church,  capable 
of  such  consecration  and  singular  identification  with  the 
service  of  God  that  there  alone  the  power  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  can  be  manifested  or  received.  Let  there  be 
a  man  chosen  of  God,  ready  for  the  duties  of  a  holy 
calling,  and  on  that  man  the  Spirit  will  come,  wherever 
he  is,  in  whatever  he  is  engaged.  He  may  be  employed 
in  common  work,  but  in  doing  it  he  will  be  moved 
to  earnest  service  and  testimony.  He  may  be  labouring, 
under  great  difficulties,  to  restore  the  justice  that  has 
been  impaired  by  social  errors  and  political  chicanery — 
and  his  words  will  be  prophetic ;  he  will  be  a  witness 


132  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

for  God  to  those  who  are  without  faith,  without  holy 
fear. 

While  Eldad  and  Medad  prophesied  in  the  camp, 
a  young  man  who  heard  them  ran  officiously  to  inform 
Moses.  To  this  young  man  as  to  others — for  no  doubt 
there  were  many  who  loved  and  revered  the  Usual — 
the  two  elders  were  presumptuous  fools.  The  camp 
was,  as  we  say,  secular :  was  it  not  ?  People  in  the 
camp  looked  after  ordinary  affairs,  tended  their  cattle, 
chaffered  and  bargained,  quarrelled  about  trifles,  mur- 
mured against  Moses  and  against  God.  Was  it  right 
to  prophesy  there,  carrying  religious  words  and  ideas 
into  the  midst  of  common  life  ?  If  Eldad  and  Medad 
could  prophesy,  let  them  go  to  the  tabernacle.  And 
besides,  what  right  had  they  to  speak  for  Jehovah, 
in  Jehovah's  name?  Was  not  Moses  the  prophet,  the 
only  prophet  ?  Israel  was  accustomed  to  think  him  so, 
would  keep  to  that  opinion.  It  would  be  confusing  if 
at  any  one's  tent  door  a  prophet  might  begin  to  speak 
without  warning.  So  the  young  man  thought  it  his 
duty "  to  run  and  tell  Moses  what  was  taking  place. 
And  Joshua,  when  he  heard,  was  alarmed,  and  desired 
Moses  to  put  an  end  to  the  irregular  ministry.  "  My 
lord  Moses,  forbid  them,"  he  said.  He  was  jealous  not 
for  himself  and  the  other  elders,  but  for  Moses'  sake. 
So  far  the  leader  alone  held  communication  with  Jehovah 
and  spoke  in  His  name ;  and  there  was  perhaps  some 
reason  for  the  alarm  of  Joshua,  more  than  was  apparent 
at  the  time.  To  have  one  central  authority  was  better 
and  safer  than  to  have  many  persons  using  the  right 
to  speak  in  any  sense  for  God.  Who  could  be  sure 
that  these  new  voices  would  agree  with  Moses  in  every 
respect  ?  Even  if  they  did,  might  there  not  be  divisions 
in  the  camp,  new  priesthoods  as  well  as  new  oracles  ? 


xi.]         THE  STRAIN  OF  THE  DESERT  JOURNEY         133 


Prophets  might  not  be  always  wise,  always  truly 
inspired.  And  there  might  be  false  prophets  by-and-by, 
even  if  Eldad  and  Medad  were  not  false. 

In  like  manner  it  might  be  argued  now  that  there 
is  danger  when  one  here  and  another  there  assume 
authority  as  revealers  of  the  truth  of  things.  Some,  full 
of  their  own  wisdom,  take  high  ground  as  critics  and 
teachers  of  religion.  Others  imagine  that  with  the 
right  to  wear  a  certain  dress  there  has  come  to  them 
the  full  equipment  of  the  prophet.  And  others  still, 
remembering  how  Elijah  and  John  the  Baptist  arrayed 
themselves  in  coarse  cloth  and  leathern  girdle,  assume 
that  garb,  or  what  corresponds  to  it,  and  claim  to  have 
the  prophetic  gift  because  they  express  the  voice  of  the 
people.  So  in  our  days  there  is  a  question  whether 
Eldad  or  Medad,  prophesying  in  the  camp,  ought  to 
be  trusted  or  even  allowed  to  speak.  But  who  is 
to  decide  ?  Who  is  to  take  upon  him  to  silence  the 
voices  ?  The  old  way  was  rough  and  ready.  All  who 
were  in  office  in  a  certain  Church  were  commissioned 
to  interpret  Divine  mysteries ;  the  rest  were  ordered 
to  be  silent  on  pain  of  imprisonment.  Those  who  did 
not  teach  as  the  Church  taught,  under  her  direction, 
were  made  offenders  against  the  public  well-being. 
That  way,  however,  has  been  found  wanting,  and 
"liberty  of  prophesying"  is  fully  allowed.  With  the 
freedom  there  have  come  difficulties  and  dangers  enough. 
Yet  to  '*  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God "  is 
our  discipline  on  the  way  to  life. 

The  reply  of  Moses  to  Joshua's  request  anticipates, 
in  no  small  degree,  the  doctrine  of  liberty.  ^*  Art  thou 
jealous  for  my  sake  ?  Would  God  that  all  the  Lord's 
people  were  prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would  put 
His  Spirit  upon  them."     His  answer  is  that  of  a  broad 


134  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

and  magnanimous  toleration.  Moses  cannot  indeed 
have  believed  that  great  religious  truths  were  in  the 
reach  of  every  man,  and  that  any  earnest  soul  might 
receive  and  communicate  those  truths.  But  his  con- 
ception of  a  people  of  God  is  like  that  in  the  prophecy  of 
Joel,  where  he  speaks  of  all  flesh  being  endued  with 
the  Spirit,  the  old  men  and  young  men,  the  sons  and 
daughters,  alike  made  able  to  testify  of  what  they  have 
seen  and  heard.  The  truly  great  man  entertains  no 
jealousy  of  others.  He  delights  to  see  in  other  eyes 
the  flash  of  heavenly  intelligence,  to  find  other  souls 
made  channels  of  Divine  revelation.  He  would  have 
no  monopoly  in  knowledge  and  sacred  prophecy. 
Moses  had  instituted  an  exclusive  priesthood ;  but 
here  he  sets  the  gate  of  the  prophetical  office  wide 
open.  All  whom  God  endows  are  declared  free  in 
Israel  to  use  that  office. 

We  can  only  wonder  that  still  any  order  of  men 
should  try  in  the  name  of  the  Church  to  shut  the 
mouths  of  those  who  approve  themselves  reverent 
students  of  the  Divine  Word.  At  the  same  time  let 
it  not  be  forgotten  that  the  power  of  prophesying  is 
no  chance  gift,  no  easy  faculty.  He  who  is  to  speak 
on  God's  behalf  must  indeed  know  the  mind  of  God. 
How  can  one  claim  the  right  to  instruct  others  who 
has  never  opened  his  mind  to  the  Divine  voice,  who 
has  not  reverently  compared  Scripture  with  Providence 
and  all  the  phases  of  revelation  that  are  unfolded  in 
conscience  and  human  life  ?  Men  who  draw  a  narrow 
circle  and  keep  their  thoughts  within  it  can  never 
become  prophets. 

The  closing  verses  of  the  chapter  tell  of  the  plague 
that  fell  on  the  lustful,  and  the  burial  of  those  who 
died  of  it,  in  a  place  thence  called  Kibroth-hattaavah. 


xi.]         THE  STRAIN  OF   THE  DESEJiT  JOURNEY         135 


The  people  had  their  desire,  and  it  brought  judgment 
upon  them.  Here  in  Israel's  history  a  needful  warning 
is  written  ;  but  how  many  read  without  understanding ! 
And  so,  every  day  the  same  plague  is  claiming  its 
victims,  and  *'  graves  of  lust "  are  dug.  The  preacher 
still  finds  in  this  portion  of  Scripture  a  subject  that 
never  ceases  to  claim  treatment,  let  social  conditions  be 
what  they  may. 


X 

THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON 
Numbers  xii 

IT  may  be  confidently  said  that  no  representative 
writer  of  the  post-exilic  age  would  have  invented 
or  even  cared  to  revive  the  episode  of  this  chapter. 
From  the  point  of  view  of  Ezra  and  his  fellow-reformers, 
it  would  certainly  appear  a  blot  on  the  character  of 
Moses  that  he  passed  by  the  women  of  his  own  people 
and  took  a  Cushite  or  Ethiopian  wife.  The  idea  of 
the  *'  holy  seed,"  on  which  the  zealous  leaders  of  new 
Judaism  insisted  after  the  return  from  Babylon,  was 
exclusive.  It  appeared  an  abomination  for  Israelites  to 
intermarry  either  with  the  original  inhabitants  of 
Canaan,  or  even  with  Moabites,  Ammonites,  and  Egyp- 
tians. At  an  earher  date  any  disposition  to  seek 
alliance  with  Egypt  or  hold  intercourse  with  it  was 
denounced  as  profane.  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  alike 
declare  that  Israel,  whom  Jehovah  led  forth  from 
Egypt,  should  never  think  of  returning  to  drink  of  its 
waters  or  trust  in  its  shadow.  As  the  necessity  of 
separateness  from  other  peoples  became  strongly  felt, 
revulsion  from  Ethiopia  would  be  greater  than  from 
Egypt  itelf,  Jeremiah's  inquiry,  "Can  the  Ethiopian 
change  his  skin  ?  "  made  the  dark  colour  of  that  race 
a  symbol  of  moral  taint. 

136 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         137 

To  be  sure,  the  prophets  did  not  all  adopt  this  view. 
Amos,  especially,  in  one  of  his  striking  passages,  claims 
for  the  Ethiopians  the  same  relation  to  God  as  Israel 
had :  '*  Are  ye  not  as  the  children  of  the  Ethiopians 
unto  Me,  O  children  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  ?  "  No 
reproach  to  the  Israelites  is  intended ;  they  are  only 
reminded  that  all  nations  have  the  same  origin  and 
are  under  the  same  Divine  providence.  And  the  Psalms 
in  their  evangelical  anticipations  look  once  and  again 
to  that  dark  land  in  the 'remote  south:  '*  Princes  shall 
come  out  of  Egypt;  Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out 
her  hands  unto  God  " ;  '*  I  will  make  mention  of  Rahab 
and  Babylon  to  them  that  know  Me  :  behold  Philistra, 
and  Tyre,  with  Ethiopia;  this  man  was  born  there." 
The  zeal  of  the  period  immediately  after  the  captivity 
carried  separateness  far  beyond  that  of  any  earlier  time, 
surpassing  the  letter  of  the  statute  in  Exod.  xxxiv.  1 1 
and  Deut.  vii.  2.  And  we  may  safely  assert  that  if 
the  Pentateuch  did  not  come  into  existence  till  after 
the  new  ideas  of  exclusion  were  established,  and  if  it 
was  written  then  for  the  purpose  of  exalting  Moses  and 
his  law,  the  reference  to  his  Cushite  wife  would  certainly 
have  been  suppressed. 

All  the  more  may  this  be  maintained  when  we  take 
into  account  the  likeHhood  that  it  was  not  entirely 
without  reason  Aaron  and  Miriam  felt  some  jealousy 
of  the  woman.  The  story  is  usually  taken  to  mean 
that  there  was  no  cause  whatever  for  the  feeling 
entertained ;  and  if  Miriam  alone  had  been  involved, 
we  might  have  regarded  the  matter  as  without  signifi- 
cance. But  Aaron  had  hitherto  acted  cordially  with 
the  brother  to  whom  he  owed  his  high  position.  Not 
a  single  disloyal  word  or  deed  had  as  yet  separated 
him  in  the  least,  personally,  from  Moses.    They  wrought 


138  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

together  in  the  promulgation  of  law,  they  were  together 
in  transgression  and  judgment.  Aaron  had  every 
reason  for  remaining  faithful ;  and  if  he  was  now 
moved  to  a  feeling  that  the  character  and  reputation 
of  the  lawgiver  were  imperilled,  it  must  have  been 
because  he  saw  reason.  He  could  approach  Moses 
quietly  on  this  subject  without  any  thought  of  challeng- 
ing his  authority  as  leader.  We  see  that  while  he 
accompanied  Miriam  he  kept- in  the  background,  un- 
willing, himself,  to  appear  as  an  accuser,  though  per- 
suaded that  the  unpleasant  duty  must  be  done. 

So  far  as  Moses  is  concerned  these  thoughts,  which 
naturally  arise,  go  to  support  the  genuineness  of  the 
history.  And  in  like  manner  the  condemnation  of 
Aaron  bears  out  the  view  that  the  episode  is  not 
of  legendary  growth.  If  priestly  influence  had  deter- 
mined to  any  extent  the  form  of  the  narrative,  the  fault 
of  Aaron  would  have  beea  suppressed.  He  agrees 
with  Miriam  in  making  a  claim  the  rejection  of  which 
involves  him  and  the  priesthood  in  shame.  And  yet, 
again,  the  theory  that  here  we  have  prophetic  narrative, 
critical  of  the  priesthood,  will  not  stand  ;  for  Miriam 
is  a  prophetess,  and  language  is  used  which  seems  to 
deny  to  all  but  Moses  a  clear  and  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  Divine  will. 

Miriam  was  the  spokeswoman.  She  it  was,  as  the 
Hebrew  impHes,  who  "  spake  against  Moses  because  of 
the  Cushite  woman  whom  he  had  married."  It  would 
seem  that  hitherto  in  right  of  her  prophetical  gift  she 
was  to  some  extent  an  adviser  of  her  brother,  or  had 
otherwise  a  measure  of  influence.  It  appeared  to  her 
not  only  a  bad  thing  for  Moses  himself  but  absolutely 
wrong  that  a  woman  of  ahen  race,  who  probably  came 
out  of  Egypt  with  the   tribes,  one  among  the  mixed 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         139 

multitude,  should  have  anything  to  say  to  him  in 
private,  or  should  be  in  his  confidence.  Miriam  main- 
tained, apparently,  that  her  brother  had  committed  a 
serious  mistake  in  marrying  this  wife,  and  still  more  in 
denying  to  Aaron  and  to  herself  that  right  of  advising 
which  they  had  hitherto  used.  Was  not  Moses  for- 
getting that  Miriam  had  her  share  in  the  zeal  and 
inspiration  which  had  made  the  guidance  of  the  tribes 
so  far  successful  ?  If  Moses  stands  aloof,  consults  only 
with  his  alien  wife,  will  he  not  forfeit  position  and 
authority  and  be  deprived  of  help  with  which  he  has 
no  right  to  dispense  ? 

Miriam's  is  an  instance,  the  first  instance  we  may 
say,  of  the  woman's  claim  to  take  her  place  side  by  side 
with  the  man  in  the  direction  of  affairs.  It  would  be 
absurd  to  say  that  the  modern  desire  has  its  origin  in 
a  spirit  of  jealousy  like  that  which  Miriam  showed ; 
yet,  parallel  to  her  demand,  "  Hath  the  Lord  indeed 
spoken  only  by  Moses  ?  Hath  he  not  also  spoken  by 
us  ?  "  is  the  recent  cry,  *'  Has  man  a  monopoly  either 
of  wisdom  or  of  the  moral  qualities  ?  Are  not  women 
at  least  equally  endowed  with  ethical  insight  and 
sagacity  ki  counsel  ?  "  Long  excluded  from  affairs  by 
custom  and  law,  women  have  become  weary  of  using 
their  influence  in  an  unrecognised,  indirect  way,  and 
many  would  now  claim  an  absolute  parity  with  men, 
convinced  that  if  in  any  respect  they  are  weak  as 
yet  they  will  soon  become  capable.  The  claim  is  to 
a  certain  extent  based  on  the  Christian  doctrine  of 
equality  between  male  and  female,  but  also  on  the 
acknowledged  success  of  women  who,  engaging  in  public 
duties  side  by  side  with  men,  have  proved  their  aptitude 
and  won  high  distinction. 

At  the  same  time,   those   who  have  had  experience 


146  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  the  world  and  the  many  phases  of  human  life  must 
always  have  a  position  which  the  inexperienced  may 
not  claim  ;  and  women,  as  compared  with  men,  must 
continue  to  be  at  a  certain  disadvantage  for  this  reason. 
It  may  be  supposed  that  intuition  can  be  placed  against 
experience,  that  the  woman's  quick  insight  ma}^  serve 
her  better  than  the  man's  slowly  acquired  knowledge. 
And  most  will  allow  this,  but  only  to  a  certain  point. 
The  woman's  intuition  is  a  fact  of  her  nature — to  be 
trusted  often  and  along  many  ways.  It  is,  indeed,  her 
experience,  gained  half  unconsciously.  But  the  modern 
claim  is  assuming  far  more  than  this.  We  are  told 
that  the  moral  sense  of  the  race  comes  down  through 
women.  They  conserve  the  moral  sense.  This  is  no 
Christian  claim,  or  Christian  only  in  outdoing  Romanism 
and  setting  Mary  far  above  her  Son.  Seriously  put 
forward  by  women,  this  will  throw  back  their  whole 
claim  into  the  middle  ages  again.  That  a  finer  moral 
sense  often  forms  part  of  their  intuition  is  admitted  : 
that  as  a  sex  they  lead  the  race  must  be  proved  where, 
as  yet,  they  do  not  prove  it.  Nevertheless,  the  world 
is  advancing  by  the  advance  of  women.  There  is  no 
need  any  longer  for  that  jealous  intriguing  which  has 
often  wrecked  governments  and  homes.  Christianity, 
ruling  the  questions  of  sex,  means  a  very  stable  form 
of  society,  a  continuous  and  calm  development,  the 
principle  of  charity  and  mutual  service. 

Miriam  claimed  the  position  of  a  prophet  or  nabi  for 
herself,  and  endeavoured  to  make  her  gift  and  Aaron's 
as  revealers  of  truth  appear  equal  to  that  of  Moses. 
At  the  Red  Sea  she  led  the  chorus  "  Sing  ye  to  the 
Lord,  for  He  hath  triumphed  gloriously.  The  horse 
and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the  sea."  That, 
so  far  as  we  know,  was  her  title  to   count  herself  a 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         141 

prophetess.  As  for  Aaron,  we  often  find  his  name 
associated  with  his  brother's  in  the  formula,  *'  The 
Lord  spake  unto  Moses  and  Aaron."  He  had  also  been 
the  nabi  of  Moses  when  the  two  went  to  Pharaoh  with 
their  demand  on  behalf  of  Israel.  But  the  claim  of 
equahty  with  Moses  was  vain.  Poor  Miriam  had  her 
one  flash  of  high  enthusiasm,  and  may  have  now  and 
again  risen  to  some  courage  and  zeal  in  professing  her 
faith.  But  she  does  not  seem  to  have  had  the  ability  to 
distinguish  between  her  fitful  glimpses  of  truth  and 
Moses'  Divine  intelligence.  Aaron,  again,  must  have 
been  half  ashamed  when  he  was  placed  beside  his 
brother.  He  had  no  genius,  none  of  the  elevation  of 
soul  that  betokens  an  inspired  man.  He  obeyed  well, 
served  the  sanctuary  well ;  he  was  a  good  priest,  but 
no  prophet. 

The  little  knowledge,  the  small  gifts,  appear  great  to 
those  who  have  them,  so  great  as  often  to  eclipse  those 
of  nobler  men.  We  magnify  what  we  have, — our 
power  of  vision,  though  we  cannot  see  far  ;  our  spiritual 
intelligence,  though  we  have  learned  the  first  prin- 
ciples only  of  Divine  faith.  In  the  religious  contro- 
versies of  to-day,  as  in  those  of  the  past,  men  whose 
claims  are  of  the  slightest  have  pushed  to  the  front 
with  the  demand.  Hath  not  the  Lord  spoken  by  us  ? 
But  there  is  no  Moses  to  be  challenged.  The  age  of 
the  revealers  is  gone.  He  who  seems  to  be  a  great 
prophet  may  be  taken  for  one  because  he  stands  on  the 
past  and  invokes  voluminous  authority  for  all  he  says 
and  does.  In  truth,  our  disputations  are  between  the 
modern  Eliphaz,  Bildad,  and  Job — all  of  them  to-day 
men  of  limited  view  and  meagre  inspiration,  who 
repeat  old  hearsays  with  wearisome  pertinacity,  or 
inveigh   against    the    old    interpretations    with  infinite 


142  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

assurance.  Jehovah  speaks  from  the  storm  ;  but  there 
is  no  heed  paid  to  His  voice.  By  some  the  Word  is 
declared  unintelHgible  ;  others  deny  it  to  be  His. 

While  Moses  kept  silence,  ruling  his  spirit  in  the 
meekness  of  a  man  of  God,  suddenly  the  command 
was  given,  '*  Come  out,  ye  three,  unto  the  tent  of 
meeting."  Possibly  the  interview  had  been  at  Moses' 
own  tent  in  the  near  portion  of  the  camp.  Now  judg- 
ment was  to  be  solemnly  given ;  and  the  circumstances 
were  made  the  more  impressive  by  the  removal  of 
the  cloud-pillar  from  above  the  tabernacle  to  the  door 
of  the  tent,  where  it  seems  to  have  intervened  between 
Moses  on  the  one  side  and  Miriam  and  Aaron  on  the 
other;  then  the  Voice  spoke,  requiring  these  two  to 
approach,  and  the  oracle  was  heard.  The  subject  of 
it  was  the  position  of  Moses  as  the  interpreter  of 
Jehovah's  will.  He  was  distinguished  from  any  other 
prophet  of  the  time. 

We  are  here  at  a  point  where  more  knowledge  is 
needful  to  a  full  understanding  of  the  revelation :  we 
can  only  conjecture.  Not  long  is  it  since  the  seventy 
elders  belonging  to  different  tribes  were  endow^ed  with 
the  spirit  of  prophecy.  Already  there  may  have  been 
some  abuse  of  their  new  power;  for  though  God 
bestows  His  gifts  on  men,  they  have  practical  liberty, 
and  may  not  always  be  wise  or  humble  in  exercising 
the  gifts.  So  the  need  of  a  distinction  between  Moses 
and  the  others  would  be  clear.  As  to  Miriam  and 
Aaron,  their  jealousy  may  have  been  not  only  of  Moses, 
but  also  of  the  seventy.  Miriam  and  Aaron  were 
prophets  of  older  standing,  and  would  be  disposed  to 
claim  that  the  Lord  spoke  by  them  rather  in  the  way 
He  spoke  by  Moses  than  after  the  manner  of  His 
communications  through  the  seventy.     Were  mem^bers 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         143 


of  the  sacred  family  to  be  on  a  level  henceforth  with 
any  persons  who  spoke  ecstatically  in  praise  of 
Jehovah  ?  Thus  claim  asserted  itself  over  claim.  The 
seventy  had  to  be  informed  as  to  the  limits  of  their 
office,  prevented  from  taking  a  place  higher  than  they 
had  been  assigned  :  Miriam  and  Aaron  also  had  to  be 
instructed  that  their  position  differed  entirely  from  their 
brother's,  that  they  must  be  content  so  far  as  prophecy 
was  concerned  to  stand  with  the  rest  whose  inspiration 
they  may  have  despised.  With  this  view  the  general 
terms  of  the  deliverance  appear  to  correspond. 

The  Voice  from  the  tent  of  meeting  was  heard 
through  the  cloud  ;  and  on  the  one  hand  the  function 
of  the  prophet  or  nabi  was  defined,  on  the  other  the 
high  honour  and  prerogative  of  Moses  were  announced. 
The  prophet,  said  the  Voice,  shall  have  Jehovah  made 
known  to  him  *'in  vision,  or  in  dream," — in  his  waking 
hours,  when  the  mind  is  on  the  alert,  receiving  im- 
pressions from  nature  and  the  events  of  life ;  when 
memory  is  occupied  with  the  past  and  hope  with  the 
future,  the  vision  shall  be  given.  Or  again,  in  sleep, 
when  the  mind  is  withdrawn  from  external  objects  and 
appears  entirely  passive,  a  dream  shall  open  glimpses 
of  the  great  work  of  Providence,  the  purposes  of  judg- 
ment or  of  grace.  In  these  ways  the  prophet  shall 
receive  his  knowledge  ;  and  of  necessity  the  revelation 
will  be  to  some  extent  shadowed,  difficult  to  interpret. 
Now  the  name  prophet,  nabiy  is  continually  applied 
throughout  the  Old  Testament,  not  only  to  the  seventy 
and  others  who  like  them  spoke  in  ecstatic  language,  and 
those  who  afterwards  used  musical  instruments  to  help 
the  rapture  with  which  the  Divine  utterance  came,  but 
'also  to  men  like  Amos  and  Isaiah.  And  it  has  been 
made  a  question  whether  the  inspiration  of  these  pro- 


144  ^^^  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


phets  is  to  come  under  the  general  law  of  the  oracle 
we  are  considering.  The  answer  in  one  sense  is  clear. 
So  far  as  the  word  nabi  designates  all,  they  are  all  of 
one  order.  But  it  is  equally  certain,  as  Kuenen  has 
pointed  out,  that  the  later  prophets  were  not  always 
in  a  state  of  ecstasy  when  they  gave  their  oracles,  nor 
simply  reproducing  thoughts  of  which  they  first  became 
conscious  in  that  state.  They  had  an  exalting  con- 
sciousness of  the  presence  and  enlightening  Spirit  of 
Jehovah  bestowed  on  them,  or  the  burden  of  Jehovah 
laid  on  them.  The  visions  were  often  flashes  of 
thought ;  at  other  times  the  prophet  seemed  to  look  on 
a  new  earth  and  heaven  filled  with  moving  symbols  and 
powers.  But  the  whole  development  of  national  faith 
and  knowledge  affected  their  flashes  of  thought  and 
visions,  lifting  prophetic  energy  into  a  higher  range. 

Now,  returning  to  the  oracle,  we  find  that  Moses  is 
not  a  prophet  or  nabi  in  this  sense.  The  words  that 
relate  to  him  carefully  distinguish  between  his  illumina- 
tion and  that  of  the  nabi.  ''  My  servant  Moses  is  not 
so  ;  he  is  faithful  in  all  Mine  house  :  with  him  will  I 
speak  mouth  to  mouth,  even  manifestly,  and  not  in 
dark  speeches;  and  the  form  of  Jehovah  shall  he 
behold."  Every  word  here  is  chosen  to  exclude  the 
idea  of  ecstasy,  the  idea  of  vision  or  dream,  which 
leaves  some  shadow  of  uncertainty  upon  the  mind,  and 
the  idea  of  any  intermediate  influence  between  the 
human  intelligence  and  the  disclosure  of  God's  will. 
And  when  we  try  to  interpret  this  in  terms  of  our  own 
mental  operations,  and  our  consciousness  of  the  way 
in  which  truth  reaches  our  minds,  we  recognise  for 
one  thing  an  impression  made  distinctly  word  by  word 
of  the  message  to  be  conveyed.  There  is  given  to 
Moses  not  only  a  general  idea  of  the  truth  or  principle 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         145 

to  be  embodied  in  his  words,  but  he  receives  the  very 
terms.  They  come  to  him  in  concrete  form.  He  has 
but  to  repeat  or  write  what  Jehovah  communicates. 
Along  with  this  there  is  given  to  Moses  a  power  of 
apprehending  the  form  or  simihtude  of  God.  His 
mind  is  made  capable  of  singular  precision  in  re- 
ceiving and  transmitting  the  oracle  or  statute.  There 
is  complete  calmness  and  what  we  may  call  self- 
possession  when  he  is  in  the  tent  of  meeting  face  to 
face  with  the  Eternal.  And  yet  he  has  this  spiritual, 
transcendent  symbol  of  the  Divine  Majesty  before  him. 
He  is  no  poet,  but  he  enjoys  some  revelation  higher 
and  more  exalting  to  inind  and  soul  than  poet  ever 
had. 

The  paradox  is  not  inconceivable.  There  is  a  way 
to  this  converse  with  God  *'  mouth  to  mouth  "  along 
which  the  patient,  earnest  soul  can  partly  travel. 
Without  rhapsody,  with  full  effort  of  the  mind  that  has 
gathered  from  every  source  and  is  ready  for  the  Divine 
synthesis  of  ideas,  the  Divine  illumination,  the  Divine 
dictation,  if  we  may  so  speak,  the  humble  intelligence 
may  arrive  where,  for  the  guidance  of  the  personal  life 
at  least,  the  very  words  of  God  are  to  be  heard. 
Be3^ond,  along  the  same  way,  lies  the  chamber  of 
audience  which  Moses  knew.  We  think  it  an  amazing 
thing  to  be  sure  of  God  and  of  His  will  to  the  very 
words.  Our  state  is  so  often  that  of  doubt,  or  of  self- 
absorption,  or  of  entanglement  with  the  affairs  of  others, 
that  we  are  generally  incapable  of  receiving  the  direct 
message.  Yet  of  whom  should  we  be  sure  if  not  of 
God  ?  Of  what  words  should  we  be  more  certain  than 
those  pure,  clear  words  that  come  from  His  mouth  ? 
Moses  heard  on  great  themes,  national  and  moral — he 
heard  for  the  ages,  for  ^e"Wo]rl4.VtTiere,lay  his  unique 

/<r  -       -     -?  \ 


146  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


dignity.  We  may  hear  only  for  our  own  guidance  in 
the  next  duty  that  is  to  be  done.  But  the  Spirit  of 
God  directs  those  who  trust  Him.  It  is  ours  to  seek 
and  to  receive  the  very  truth. 

With  regard  to  the  shnilitude  of  Jehovah  which 
Moses  saw,  we  notice  that  there  is  no  suggestion  of 
human  form ;  rather  would  this  seem  to  be  carefully 
avoided.  I'he  statement  does  not  take  us  back  to  the 
appearance  of  the  angel  Jehovah  to  Abraham,  nor  does 
it  point  to  any  manifestation  like  that  of  wliich  we  read 
in  the  histor}^  of  Joshua  or  of  Gideon.  Nothing  is  here 
said  of  an  angel.  We  are  led  to  think  of  an  exaltation 
of  the  spiritual  perception  of  Moses,  so  that  he  knew 
the  reaHty  of  the  Divine  life,  and  was  made  sure  of  an 
originative  wisdom,  a  transcendent  source  of  ideas  and 
moral  energy.  He  with  whom  Moses  holds  communion 
is  One  whose  might  and  holiness  and  glory  are  seen 
with  the  spiritual  eye,  whose  will  is  made  known  by 
a  voice  entering  into  the  soul.  And  the  distinction 
intended  between  Moses  and  all  other  prophets  corre- 
sponds to  a  fact  which  the  history  of  Israel's  religion 
brings  to  light.  The  account  of  the  way  in  which 
Jehovah  communicated  with  Moses  remains  subject  to 
the  condition  that  the  expressions  used,  such  as  "  mouth 
to  mouth,"  are  still  only  symbols  of  the  truth.  They 
mean  that  in  the  very  highest  sense  possible  to  man 
Moses  entered  into  the  purposes  of  God  regarding  His 
people.  Now  Isaiah  certainly  approached  this  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  Divine  counsel  when  long  afterwards 
he  said  in  Jehovah's  name  :  "  Behold  My  Servant,  whom 
I  uphold ;  Mine  Elect,  in  whom  My  soul  delighteth ;  I 
have  put  My  Spirit  upon  Him  :  He  shall  bring  forth 
judgm.ent  unto  the  Gentiles.  He  shall  not  cry,  nor 
lift  up,  nor  cause  His  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  street." 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         147 


Yet  between  Moses  and  Isaiah  there  is  a  difference. 
For  Moses  is  the  means  of  giving  to  Israel  pure  morahty 
and  true  rehgion.  By  the  inspiration  of  God  he  brings 
into  existence  that  which  is  not.  Isaiah  foresees ; 
Moses,  in  a  sense,  creates.  And  the  one  parallel  with 
Moses,  according  to  Scripture,  is  to  be  found  in  Christ, 
who  is  the  creator  of  the  new  humanity. 

When  the  oracle  had  spoken,  there  was  a  movement 
of  the  cloud  from  the  door  of  the  tent  of  meeting, 
and  apparently  from  the  tabernacle — a  sign  of  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God.  Following  the  idea  that  the  cloud 
was  connected  with  the  altar,  this  withdrawal  has  been 
interpreted  by  Lange  as  a  rebuke  to  Aaron.  **  He  was 
inwardly  crushed ;  the  fire  on  his  altar  went  out ;  the 
pillar  of  smoke  no  longer  mounted  up  as  a  token  of 
grace ;  the  cultus  was  for  a  moment  at  a  standstill, 
and  it  was  as  if  an  interdict  of  Jehovah  lay  on  the  cultus 
of  the  sanctuary."  But  the  cloud-pillar  is  not,  as  this 
interpretation  would  imply,  associated  with  Aaron  per- 
sonally ;  it  is  always  the  symbol  of  the  Divine  will 
"  by  the  hand  of  Moses."  We  must  suppose  therefore 
that  the  movement  of  the  cloud  conveyed  in  some  new 
and  unexpected  way  a  sense  of  the  Divine  support 
which  Moses  enjoyed.  He  was  justified  in  all  he  had 
done  :  condemnation  was  brought  home  to  his  accusers. 

And  Miriam,  who  had  offended  most,  was  punished 
with  more  than  a  rebuke.  Suddenly  she  was  found 
to  be  covered  with  leprosy.  Aaron,  looking  upon  her, 
saw  that  morbid  pallor  which  was  regarded  as  the 
invariable  sign  of  the  disease.  It  was  seen  as  a  proof 
of  her  sin  and  of  the  anger  of  Jehovah.  Himself 
trembling  as  one  who  had  barely  escaped,  Aaron 
could  not  but  confess  his  share  in  the  transgression. 
Addressing  Moses  with  the  deepest  reverence,  he  said, 


148  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

"  Oh  my  lord,  lay  not,  I  pray  thee,  sin  upon  us,  for 
that  we  have  done  foolishly,  and  for  that  we  have 
sinned."  The  leprosy  is  the  mark  of  sin.  Let  it  not 
be  stamped  on  her  indelibly,  nor  on  me.  Let  not 
the  disease  run  its  course  to  the  horrible  end.  With 
no  small  presumption  the  two  had  ventured  to  challenge 
their  brother's  conduct  and  position.  They  knew 
indeed,  yet  from  their  intimacy  with  him  did  not  rightly 
apprehend,  the  ''divinity  that  hedged  "  him.  Now  for 
the  first  time  its  terror  is  disclosed  to  themselves ;  and 
they  shrink  before  the  man  of  God,  pleading  with  him 
as  if  he  were  omnipotent. 

Moses  needs  no  second  appeal  to  his  compassion. 
He  is  a  truly  inspired  man,  and  can  forgive.  He  has 
seen  the  great  God  merciful  and  gracious,  longsufFering, 
slow  to  anger,  and  he  has  caught  something  of  the 
Divine  magnanimity.  This  temper  was  not  always 
shown  throughout  Israel's  history  by  those  who  had 
the  position  of  prophets.  And  we  find  that  men  who 
claim  to  be  religious,  even  to  be  interpreters  of  the 
Divine  will,  are  not  invariably  above  retaUation.  They 
are  seen  to  hate  those  who  criticise  them,  who  throw 
doubt  upon  their  arguments.  A  man's  claim  to  fellow- 
ship with  God,  his  professed  knowledge  of  the  Divine 
truth  and  religion,  may  be  tested  by  his  conduct  when 
he  is  under  challenge.  If  he  cannot  plead  with  God 
on  behalf  of  those  who  have  assailed  him,  he  has  not 
the  Spirit;  he  is  as  ^'sounding  brass,  or  a  clanging 
cymbal." 

Even  in  response  to  the  prayer  of  Moses,  Miriam 
could  not  be  cured  at  once.  She  must  go  aside 
bearing  her  reproach.  Shame  for  her  offence,  apart 
from  the  taint  of  leprosy,  would  make  it  fitting  that  she 
should  withdraw  seven  days  from  camp  and  sanctuary. 


xii.]       THE  JEALOUSY  OF  MIRIAM  AND  AARON         149 

A  personal  indignity,  not  affecting  her  character  in  the 
least,  would  have  been  felt  to  that  extent.  Her 
transgression  is  to  be  realised  and  brooded  over  for 
her  spiritual  good.  The  law  is  one  that  needs  to  be 
kept  in  mind.  To  escape  detection  and  leave  adverse 
judgment  behind  is  all  that  some  offenders  against 
moral  law  seem  to  desire.  They  dread  the  shame 
and  nothing  besides.  Let  that  be  avoided,  or,  after 
continuing  for  a  time,  let  the  sense  of  it  pass,  and  they 
feel  themselves  free.  But  true  shame  is  towards  God  ; 
and  from  the  mind  sincerely  penitent  that  does  not 
quickly  pass  away.  Those  only  who  are  ignorant  of 
the  nature  of  sin  can  soon  overcome  the  consciousness 
of  God's  displeasure.  As  for  men,  no  doubt  they  should 
forgive ;  but  their  forgiveness  is  often  too  hghtly 
granted,  too  complacently  assumed,  and  we  see  the 
easy  self-recovery  of  one  who  should  be  sitting  in 
sackcloth  and  ashes.  God  forgives  with  infinite  depth 
of  tenderness  and  grace  of  pardon.  But  His  very 
generosity  will  affect  the  truly  contrite  with  poignant 
sorrow  when  His  name  has  by  their  act  been  brought 
into  dishonour. 

The  offence  of  Miriam  was  only  jealousy  and  pre- 
sumption. She  may  scarcely  seem  so  great  a  sinner 
that  an  attack  of  leprosy  should  have  been  her 
punishment,  though  it  lasted  for  no  more  than  seven 
days.  We  make  so  much  of  bodily  maladies,  so  little 
of  diseases  of  the  soul,  that  we  would  think  it  strange 
if  any  one  for  his  pride  should  be  struck  with  paralysis, 
or  for  envy  should  be  laid  down  with  fever.  Yet  beside 
the  spiritual  disorder  that  of  the  body  is  of  small  moment. 
Why  do  we  think  so  httle  of  the  moral  taint,  the  false- 
hood, malice,  impurity,  and  so  much  of  the  ills  our 
flesh  is  heir  to  ?     The  bad  heart  is  the  great  disease. 


150  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

Miriam's  exclusion  from  the  camp  becomes  a  lesson 
to  all  the  people.  They  do  not  journey  while  she  is 
separated  as  unclean.  There  may  have  been  other 
lepers  in  the  outlying  tents ;  but  her  sin  has  been  of 
such  a  kind  that  the  public  conscience  is  especially 
directed  to  it.  And  the  lesson  had  particular  point 
with  reference  to  those  who  had  the  prophetic  gift. 

Modern  society,  making  much  of  sanitation  and  all 
kinds  of  improvements  and  precautions  intended  to 
prevent  the  spread  of  epidemics  and  mitigate  their 
effects,  has  also  some  thought  of  moral  disease.  Persons 
guilty  of  certain  crimes  are  confined  in  prisons  or  ^*  cut 
off  from  the  people."  But  of  the  greater  number  of 
moral  maladies  no  account  is  taken.  And  there  is  no 
widespread  gloom  over  the  nation,  no  arrest  of  affairs, 
when  some  hideous  case  of  social  immorality  or  busi- 
ness depravity  has  come  to  light.  It  is  but  a  few 
who  pray  for  those  who  have  the  evil  heart,  and  wait 
sympathetically  for  their  cleansing.  Ought  not  the 
reorganisation  of  society  to  be  on  a  moral  rather 
than  an  economic  basis?  We  should  be  nearer  the 
general  well-being  if  it  were  reckoned  a  disaster  when 
any  employer  oppressed  those  under  him,  or  work- 
men were  found  indifferent  to  their  brothers,  or  a 
grave  crime  disclosed  a  low  state  of  morality  in  some 
class  or  circle.  It  is  the  defeat  of  arm.ies  and  navies, 
the  overthrow  of  m^easures  and  governments,  that  occupy 
our  attention  as  a  people,  and  seem  often  to  obscure 
every  moral  and  religious  thought.  Or  if  injustice  is 
the  topic,  we  find  the  point  of  it  in  this :  that  one  class 
is  rich  while  another  is  poor ;  that  money,  not  character, 
is  lost  in  shameful  contention. 


XI 

THE    SPIES    AND    THEIR    REPORT 
Numbers  xiii. ;  xiv.   i-io 

TWO  narratives  at  least  appear  to  be  united  in  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth  chapters.  From  xiii. 
17,  22,  23,  we  learn  that  the  spies  were  despatched 
by  way  of  the  south,  and  that  they  went  to  Hebron 
and  a  Httle  beyond,  as  far  as  the  valley  of  Eshcol. 
But  ver.  21  states  that  they  spied  out  the  land  from 
the  wilderness  of  Zin,  south  of  the  Dead  Sea,  to  the 
entering  in  of  Hamath.  The  latter  statement  implies 
that  they  traversed  what  were  afterwards  called  Judaea, 
Samaria,  and  Galilee,  and  penetrated  as  far  as  the 
valley  of  the  Leontes,  between  the  southern  ranges  of 
Libanus  and  Antilibanus.  The  one  account  taken  by 
itself  would  make  the  journey  of  the  spies  northward 
about  a  hundred  miles  ;  the  other,  three  times  as  long. 

A  further  difference  is  this  :  According  to  one  of 
the  narratives  Caleb  alone  encourages  the  people  (xiii. 
30;  xiv.  24).  But  according  to  the  other  (xiii.  8,  16; 
xiv.  6,  7),  Joshua,  as  well  as  Caleb,  is  among  the  twelve, 
and  reports  favourably  as  to  the  possibility  of  con- 
quering and  possessing  Canaan. 

Without  deciding  on  the  critical  points  involved,  we 
may  find  a  way  of  harmonising  the  apparent  differences. 
It  is  quite  possible,  for  instance,  that  while  some  of  the 

J51 


152  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

twelve  were  instructed  to  keep  in  the  south  of  Canaan, 
others  were  sent  to  the  middle  district  and  a  third  com- 
pany to  the  north.  Caleb  might  be  among  those  who 
explored  the  south ;  while  Joshua,  having  gone  to  the 
far  north,  might  return  somewhat  later  and  join  his 
testimony  to  that  which  Caleb  had  given.  There  is 
no  inconsistency  between  the  portions  ascribed  to  the 
one  narrative  and  those  referred  to  the  other ;  and  the 
account,  as  we  have  it,  may  give  what  was  the  gist  of 
several  co-ordinate  documents.  As  to  any  variance  in 
the  reports  of  the  spies,  w^  can  easily  understand  how 
those  who  looked  for  smiling  valleys  and  fruitful  fields 
would  find  them,  while  others  saw  only  the  difficulties 
and  dangers  that  would  have  to  be  faced. 

The  questions  occur,  why  and  at  whose  instance  the 
survey  was  undertaken.  From  Deuteronomy  we  learn 
that  a  demand  for  it  arose  among  the  people.  Moses 
says  (i.  22)  :  *'  Ye  came  near  unto  me  every  one  of 
you,  and  said.  Let  us  send  men  before  us,  that  they  may 
search  the  land  for  us,  and  bring  us  word  again  of  the 
way  by  which  we  must  go  up,  and  the  cities  unto  which 
we  shall  come."  In  Numbers  the  expedition  is  under- 
taken at  the  order  of  Jehovah  conveyed  through  Moses. 
The  opposition  here  is  only  on  the  surface.  The  people 
might  desire,  but  decision  did  not  lie  with  them.  It 
was  quite  natural  when  the  tribes  had  at  length  ap- 
proached the  frontier  of  Canaan  that  they  should  seek 
information  as  to  the  state  of  the  country.  And  the 
wish  was  one  which  could  be  sanctioned,  which  had 
even  been  anticipated.  The  land  of  Canaan  was  already 
known  to  the  children  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  the  praise  of  it  as  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey  mingled  with  their  traditions.  In  one  sense 
there  was  no  need  to  send  spies,  either  to  report  on  the 


xiii.;xiv.i-io.]    THE  SPIES  AND   THEIR  REPORT  153 

fertility  of  the  land  or  on  the  peoples  dwelling  in  it. 
Yet  Divine  Providence,  on  which  men  are  to  rely,  does 
not  supersede  their  prudence  and  the  duty  that  rests 
with  them  of  considering  the  way  they  go.  The 
destiny  of  a  life  or  of  a  nation  is  to  be  wrought  out  in 
faith ;  still  we  are  to  use  all  available  means  in  order  to 
ensure  success.  So  personality  grows  through  provi- 
dence, and  God  raises  men  for  Himself. 

To  the  band  of  pioneers  each  tribe  contributes  a 
man,  and  all  the  twelve  are  headmen,  whose  intelligence 
and  good  faith  may  presumably  be  trusted.  They 
know  the  strength  of  Israel  ;  they  should  also  be  able 
to  count  upon  the  great  source  of  courage  and  power — 
the  unseen  Friend  of  the  nation.  Remembering  what 
Egypt  is,  they  know  also  the  ways  of  the  desert ;  and 
they  have  seen  war.  If  they  possess  enthusiasm  and 
hope,  they  will  not  be  dismayed  by  the  sight  of  a  few 
walled  towns  or  even  of  some  Anakim.  They  will  say, 
"  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us,  the  God  of  Jacob  is 
our  refuge."  Yet  there  is  danger  that  old  doubts  and 
new  fears  may  colour  their  report.  God  appoints  men 
to  duty  ;  but  their  personal  character  and  tendencies 
remain.  And  the  very  best  men  Israel  can  choose  for 
a  task  like  this  will  need  all  their  faithfulness  and  more 
than  all  their  faith  to  do  it  well. 

The  spies  were  to  climb  the  heights  visible  in  the 
north,  and  look  forth  towards  the  Great  Sea  and  away 
to  Moriah  and  Carmel.  They  were  also  to  make  their 
way  cautiously  into  the  land  itself  and  examine  it. 
Moses  anticipates  that  all  he  has  said  in  praise  of 
Canaan  will  be  made  good  by  the  report,  and  the 
people  will  be  encouraged  to  enter  at  once  on  the  final 
struggle.  When  the  desert  was  around  them,  unfruitful, 
seemingly  interminable,  the  Israelites  might  have  been 


154  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

disposed  to  fear  that  journeying  from  Egypt  they  were 
leaving  the  fertility  of  the  world  farther  and  farther 
behind.  Some  may  have  thought  that  the  Divine 
promise  had  misled  and  deceived  them,  and  that 
Canaan  was  a  dream.  Even  although  they  had  now 
overpassed  that  dreary  region  covered  with  coarse 
gravel,  black  flints,  and  drifting  sand,  ''  the  great  and 
terrible  wilderness,"  what  hope  was  there  that  north- 
ward they  should  reach  a  land  of  olives,  vineyards, 
and  flowing  streams  ?  The  report  of  the  spies  would 
answer  this  question. 

Now  in  like  manner  the  future  state  of  existence 
may  seem  dim  and  unreal,  scarcely  credible,  to  many. 
Our  life  is  like  a  series  of  marches  hither  and  thither 
through  the  desert.  Neither  as  individuals  nor  as 
communities  do  we  seem  to  approach  any  state  of 
blessedness  and  rest.  Rather,  as  years  go  by,  does 
the  region  become  more  inhospitable.  Hopes  once 
cherished  are  one  after  another  disappointed.  The 
stern  mountains  that  overhung  the  track  by  which  our 
forefathers  went  still  frown  upon  us.  It  seems  impos- 
sible to  get  beyond  their  shadow.  And  in  a  kind  of 
despair  some  may  be  ready  to  say  :  There  is  no  pro- 
mised land.  This  waste,  with  its  sere  grass,  its 
burning  sand,  its  rugged  hills,  makes  the  whole  of  life. 
We  shall  die  here  in  the  wilderness  like  those  who 
have  been  before  us  ;  and  when  our  graves  are  dug 
and  our  bodies  laid  in  them,  our  existence  will  have  an 
end.  But  it  is  a  thoughtless  habit  to  doubt  that  of 
which  we  have  no  full  experience.  Here  we  have  but 
begun  to  learn  the  possibilities  of  life  and  find  a  clue  to 
its  Divine  mysteries.  And  even  as  to  the  Israelites  in 
the  wilderness  there  were  not  wanting  signs  that  pointed 
to  the  fruitful  and  pleasant  country  beyond,  so  for  us, 


xiii.;xiv.  i-io.]    THE  SPIES  AND   THEIR  REPORT  155 

even  now,  there  are  previsions  of  the  higher  world. 
Some  shrubs  and  straggling  vines  grew  in  sheltered 
hollows  among  the  hills.  Here  and  there  a  scanty  crop 
of  maize  was  reared,  and  in  the  rainy  season  streams 
flowed  down  the  wastes.  From  what  was  known  the 
Israelites  might  reason  hopefully  to  that  which  as  yet 
was  beyond  their  sight.  And  are  there  not  fore-signs 
for  the  soul,  springs  opened  to  the  seekers  after  God 
in  the  desert,  some  verdure  of  righteousness,  some 
strength  and  peace  in  believing  ? 

Science  and  business  and  the  cares  of  life  absorb 
many  and  bewilder  them.  Immersed  in  the  work  of 
their  world,  men  are  apt  to  forget  that  deeper  draughts 
of  life  may  be  drunk  than  they  obtain  in  the  laboratory 
or  the  counting-house.  But  he  who  knows  what  love 
and  worship  are,  who  finds  in  all  things  the  food  of 
religious  thought  and  devotion,  makes  no  such  mistake. 
To  him  a  future  in  the  spiritual  world  is  far  more 
within  the  range  of  hopeful  anticipation  than  Canaan 
was  to  one  who  remembered  Egypt  and  had  bathed  in 
the  waters  of  the  Nile.  Is  the  heavenly  future  real  ? 
It  is  :  as  thought  and  faith  and  love  are  real,  as  the 
fellowship  of  souls  and  the  joy  of  communion  with  God 
are  realities.  Those  who  are  in  doubt  as  to  immor- 
taHty  may  find  the  cause  of  that  doubt  in  their  own 
earthliness.  Let  them  be  less  occupied  with  the 
material,  care  more  for  the  spiritual  possessions,  truth, 
righteousness,  religion,  and  they  will  begin  to  feel  an 
end  of  doubt.  Heaven  is  no  fable.  Even  now  we 
have  our  foretaste  of  its  refreshing  waters  and  the  fruits 
that  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

The  spies  were  to  climb  the  hills  w*hich  commanded 
a  view  of  the  promised  land.  And  there  are  heights 
which  must  be  scaled  if  we  are  to  have  previsions  of 


156  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  heavenly  hfe.  Men  undertake  to  forecast  the  future 
of  the  human  race  who  have  never  sought  those  heights. 
They  may  have  gone  out  from  camp  a  few  miles  or 
even  some  days'  journey,  but  they  have  kept  in  the 
plain.  One  is  devoted  to  science,  and  he  sees  as  the 
land  of  promise  a  region  in  which  science  shall  achieve 
triumphs  hitherto  only  dreamt  of,  when  the  ultimate 
atoms  shall  disclose  their  secrets  and  the  subtle  prin- 
ciple of  life  shall  be  no  longer  a  mystery.  The  social 
reformer  sees  his  own  schemes  in  operation,  some  new 
adjustment  of  human  relations,  some  new  economy  or 
system  of  government,  the  establishment  of  an  order 
that  shall  make  the  affairs  of  the  world  run  smoothly, 
and  banish  want  and  care  and  possibly  disease  from 
the  earth.  But  these  and  similar  previsions  are  not 
from  the  heights.  We  have  to  climb  quite  above  the 
earthly  and  temporal,  above  economics  and  scientific 
theories.  Where  the  way  of  faith  rises,  where  the  love 
of  men  becomes  perfect  in  the  love  of  God,  not  in 
theory  but  in  the  practical  endeavour  of  earnest  life, 
there  we  ascend,  we  advance.  We  shall  see  the  coming 
kingdom  of  God  only  if  we  are  heartily  with  God  in  the 
ardour  of  the  redeemed  soul,  if  we  follow  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Christ  to  the  summits  of  Sacrifice. 

The  spies  went  forth  from  among  tribes  which  had 
so  far  made  a  good  journey  under  the  Divine  guidance. 
So  well  had  the  expedition  sped  that  a  few  days'  march 
would  have  brought  the  travellers  into  Canaan.  But 
Israel  was  not  a  hopeful  people  nor  a  united  people. 
The  thoughts  of  many  turned  back  ;  all  were  not  faithful 
to  God  nor  loyal  to  Moses.  And  as  the  people  were, 
so  were  the  spies.  Some  may  have  professed  to  be 
enthusiastic  who  had  their  doubts  regarding  Canaan 
and  the  possibility  of  conquering  it.     Others  may  have 


xiii.;xiv.  i-io.]     THE  SPIES  AND   THEIR  REPORT  157 

even  wished  to  find  difficulties  that  would  furnish  an 
excuse  for  returning  even  to  Egypt.  Most  were  ready 
to  be  disenchanted  at  least  and  to  find  cause  for  alarm. 
In  the  south  of  Canaan  a  pastoral  district,  rocky  and 
uninviting  towards  the  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  was 
found  to  be  sparsely  occupied  by  wandering  companies 
of  Amalekites,  Bedawin  of  the  time,  probably  with  a 
look  of  poverty  and  hardship  that  gave  little  promise 
for  any  who  should  attempt  to  settle  where  they  roamed. 
Towards  Hebron  the  aspect  of  the  country  improved  ; 
but  the  ancient  city,  or  at  all  events  its  stronghold,  was 
in  the  hands  of  a  class  of  bandits  whose  names  inspired 
terror  throughout  the  district — Ahiman,  Sheshai,  and 
Talmai,  sons  of  Anak.  The  great  stature  of  these  men, 
exaggerated  by  common  report,  together  with  stories 
of  their  ferocity,  seem  to  have  impressed  the  timid 
Hebrews  beyond  measure.  And  round  Hebron  the 
Amorites,  a  hardy  highland  race,  were  found  in  occupa- 
tion. The  report  agreed  on  was  that  the  people  were 
men  of  great  stature  ;  that  the  land  was  one  which  ate 
up  its  inhabitants — that  is  to  say,  yielded  but  a  pre- 
carious existence.  Just  beyond  Hebron  vineyards 
and  olive-groves  were  found  ;  and  from  the  valley  of 
Eshcol  one  fine  cluster  of  grapes  was  brought,  hung 
upon  a  rod  to  preserve  the  fruit  from  injury,  an  evidence 
of  capabilities  that  might  be  developed.  Still  the  report 
was  an  evil  one  on  the  whole. 

Those  who  went  farther  north  had  to  tell  of  strong 
peoples- — the  Jebusites  and  Amorites  of  the  central 
region,  the  Hittites  of  the  north,  the  Canaanites  of  the 
seaboard,  where  afterwards  Sisera  had  his  headquarters. 
The  cities,  too,  were  great  and  walled.  These  spies 
had  nothing  to  say  of  the  fruitful  plains  of  Esdraelon 
and  Jezreel,  nothing  to  tell  of  the  flowery  meadows, 


58  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


the  **  murmuring  of  innumerable  bees,"  the  terraced 
vineyards,  the  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  and 
goats.  They  had  seen  the  strong,  resolute  holders  of 
the  soil,  the  fortresses,  the  difficulties  ;  and  of  these 
they  brought  back  an  account  which  caused  abundant 
alarm.  Joshua  and  Caleb  alone  had  the  confidence  of 
faith,  and  were  assured  that  Jehovah,  if  He  delighted  in 
His  people,  would  give  them  Canaan  as  an  inheritance. 
The  report  of  the  majority  of  the  spies  was  one  of 
exaggeration  and  a  certain  untruthfulness.  They  must 
have  spoken  altogether  without  knowledge,  or  else 
allowed  themselves  to  magnify  what  they  saw,  when  they 
said  of  the  children  of  Anak,  "  We  were  in  our  own 
sight  as  grasshoppers,  and  so  we  were  in  their  sight." 
Possibly  the  Hebrews  were  at  this  time  somewhat  ill- 
developed  as  a  race,  bearing  the  mark  of  their  slavery. 
But  we  can  hardly  suppose  that  the  Amorites,  much 
less  the  Hittites,  were  of  overpassing  stature.  Nor 
could  many  cities  have  been  so  large  and  strongly 
fortified  as  was  represented,  though  Lachish,  Hebron, 
Shalim,  and  a  few  others  were  formidable.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  picture  had  none  of  the  attractiveness 
it  should  have  borne.  These  exaggerations  and  defects, 
however,  are  the  common  faults  of  misbeUeving  and 
therefore  ignorant  representation.  Are  any  disposed 
to  leave  the  wilderness  of  the  world  and  possess  the 
better  country  ?  A  hundred  voices  of  the  baser  kind 
will  be  heard  giving  warning  and  presage.  Nothing 
is  said  about  its  spiritual  fruit,  its  joy,  hope,  and  peace. 
But  its  hardships  are  detailed,  the  renunciations,  the 
obligations,  the  conflicts  necessary  before  it  can  be 
possessed.  Who  would  enter  on  the  hopeless  task 
of  trying  to  cast  out  the  strong  man  armed,  who  sits 
entrenched— of  holding  at  bay  the  thousand  forces  that 


xiii  ;  xiv.  i-io.]    THE  SPIES  AND   THEIR  REPORT  159 

oppose  the  Christian  Hfe  ?  Each  position  must  be  taken 
after  a  sore  struggle  and  kept  by  constant  watchfulness. 
Little  know  they  who  think  of  becoming  religious  how 
hard  it  is  to  be  Christians.  It  is  a  life  of  gloom,  of 
constant  penitence  for  failures  that  cannot  be  helped, 
a  life  of  continual  trembling  and  terror.  So  the  reports 
go  that  profess  to  be  those  of  experience  and  knowledge, 
of  men  and  women  who  understand  life. 

Observe  also  that  the  account  given  by  those  who 
reconnoitred  the  Isbd  of  promise  sprang  from  an  error 
which  has  its  parallel  now.  The  spies  went  supposing 
that  the  Israelites  were  to  conquer  Canaan  and  dwell 
there  purely  for  their  own  sake,  for  their  own  happiness 
and  comfort.  Had  not  the  wilderness  journey  been 
undertaken  for  that  end  ?  It  did  not  enter  into  the 
consideration  either  of  the  people  as  a  whole  or  of  their 
representatives  that  they  were  bound  for  Canaan  in 
order  to  fulfil  the  Divine  purpose  of  making  Israel  a 
means  of  blessing  to  the  world.  Here,  indeed,  a 
spirituality  of  view  was  needful  whi^h  the  spies  could 
not  be  expected  to  have.  Breadth  of  foresight,  too, 
would  have  been  required  which  in  the  circumstances 
scarcely  lay  within  human  power.  If  any  of  them  had 
taken  account  of  Israel's  spiritual  destiny  as  a  witness 
for  Jehovah  in  the  midst  of  the  heathen,  could  they 
have  told  whether  this  land  of  Syria  or  some  other 
would  be  a  fit  theatre  for  the  fulfilment  of  that  high 
destiny  ? 

And  in  ignorance  like  theirs  lies  the  source  of 
mistakes  often  made  in  judging  the  cin'Jmstances  of 
life,  in  deciding  what  will  be  wisest  and  best  to  under- 
take. We,  too,  look  at  things  from  the  point  of  view 
of  our  own  happiness  and  comfort,  and,  in  a  higher 
range,  of  our  religious  enjoyment.     If  we  see  that  these 


160  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

are  to  be  had  in  a  certain  sphere,  by  a  certain  move- 
ment or  change,  we  decide  on  that  change,  we  choose 
that  sphere.  But  if  neither  temporal  well-being  nor 
enjoyment  of  religious  privilege  appears  to  be  certain, 
our  common  practice  is  to  turn  in  another  direction. 
Yet  the  truth  is  that  we  are  not  here,  and  we  shall 
never  be  anywhere,  either  in  this  world  or  another, 
simply  to  enjoy,  to  have  the  milk  and  honey  of  a 
smiling  land,  to  fulfil  our  own  desires  and  live  to 
ourselves.  The  question  regarding  the  fit  place  or 
state  for  us  depends  for  its  answer  on  what  God  means 
to  do  through  us  for  our  fellow-men,  for  the  truth,  for 
His  kingdom  and  glory.  The  future  which  we  with 
greater  or  less  success  attempt  to  conquer  and  secure 
will,  as  the  Divine  hand  leads  us  on,  prove  different 
from  our  dream  in  proportion  as  our  lives  are  capable 
of  high  endeavour  and  spiritual  service.  We  shall 
have  our  hope,  but  not  as  we  painted  it. 

Who  are  the  Calebs  and  Joshuas  of  our  time  ?  Not 
those  who,  forecasting  the  movements  of  society,  see 
what  they  think  shall  be  for  their  people  a  region  of 
comfort  and  earthly  prosperity,  to  be  maintained  by 
shutting  out  as  far  as  possible  the  agitation  of  other 
lands  ;  but  those  who  realise  that  a  nation,  especially 
a  Christian  nation,  has  a  duty  under  God  to  the  whole 
human  race  Those  are  our  true  guides  and  come 
with  inspiration  who  bid  us  not  be  afraid  in  under- 
taking the  world-wide  task  of  commending  truth, 
establishing  righteo  sness,  seeking  the  enfranchisement 
and  Christian' ration  of  all  lands. 

Not^.^  "aistanding  the  efforts  of  Caleb  and  afterwards 
of  Joshua  to  controvert  the  disheartening  reports  spread 
by  their  companions,  the  people  were  filled  with 
dismay  ;  and  night  fell  upon   a  weeping  camp.     The 


xiii.;xiv.  i-io.]    THE  SPIES  AND   THEIR  REPORT  161 

pictures  of  those  Anakim  and  of  the  tall  Amorites, 
rendered  more  terrible  by  imagination,  appear  to  have 
had  most  to  do  with  the  panic.  But  it  was  the  general 
impression  also  that  Canaan  offered  no  attractions  as 
a  home.  There  was  ^murmuring  against  Moses  and 
Aaron.  Disaffection  spread  rapidly,  and  issued  in  the 
proposal  to  take  another  leader  and  return  to  Egypt. 
Why  had  Jehovah  brought  them  across  the  desert  to 
put  them  under  the  sword  at  last  ?  The  tumult 
increased,  and  the  danger  of  a  revolt  became  so  great 
that  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  on  their  faces  before  the 
assembly. 

Always  and  everywhere  faithless  means  foolish, 
faith/ess  means  cowardly.  By  this  is  explained  the 
dejection  and  panic  into  which  the  Israelites  fell,  into 
which  men  often  fall.  Our  life  and  history  are  not 
confided  to  the  Divine  care ;  our  hope  is  not  in  God. 
Nothing  can  save  a  man  or  a  nation  from  vacillation, 
despondency,  and  defeat  but  the  conviction  that  Pro- 
vidence opens  the  way  and  never  fails  those  who  press 
on.  No  doubt  there  are  considerations  which  might 
have  made  Israel  doubtful  whether  the  conquest  of 
Canaan  lay  in  the  way  of  duty.  Some  modern 
moraHsts  would  call  it  a  great  crime — would  say  that 
the  tribes  could  look  for  no  success  in  endeavouring 
to  dispossess  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan,  or  even  to  find 
a  place  among  them.  But  this  thought  did  not  enter 
into  the  question.  Panic  fell  on  the  host,  because 
doubt  of  Jehovah  and  His  purpose  overcame  the  partial 
faith  which  had  as  yet  been  maintained  with  no  small 
difficulty. 

Now  it  was  by  the  mouth  of  Moses  Israel  had  been 
assured  of  the  promise  of  God.  Broadly  speaking, 
faith  in  Jehovah  was  faith   in  Moses,  who  was  their 

II 


1 6?  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

moralist,    their  prophet,    their    guide.      Men    here    and 

there,   the   seventy  who  prophesied  for  instance,   had 

their  personal  consciousness  of  the  Divine  power ;  but 

the  great  mass  of  the  people  had  the  covenant,  and 

trusted  it  through  the  mediation  of  Moses.     Had  Moses 

then,  as  th^  Israelites  could  judge,  a  right  to  command, 

unquestionable  authority  as  a  revealer  of  the  will  ot 

the  unseen  God  ?     Take  away  from  the  history  every 

incident,  every  feature,  that  may  appear  doubtful,  and 

there  remains  a    personality,    a  man  of  distinguished 

unselfishness,  of  admirable  patience,  of  great  sagacity, 

who    certainly   was  a    patriot,    and    as   certainly    had 

greater  conceptions,  higher  enthusiasms,  than  any  other 

man  of  Israel.     It  was  perhaps  difficult  for  those  who 

were  gross  in  nature  and  very  ignorant  to  realise  that 

Moses  was  indeed  in  communication  with  an  unseen, 

omnipotent  Friend  of  the  people.     Some   might  even 

have  been  disposed  to  say  :  What  if  he  is  ?     What  can 

God  do  for  us  ?     If  we  are  to  get  anything,  we  must 

seek  and  obtain  it  for  ourselves.     Yet  the  Israelites  as 

a  whole  held  the  almost  universal  belief  of  those  times, 

the  conviction    that  a  Power  above  the  visible  world 

does  rule  the  affairs  of  earth.     And  there  was  evidence 

enough  that  Moses  was  guided  and  sustained  by  the 

Divine  hand.     The   sagacious  mind,   the  brave,  noble 

personality  of  Moses,  made  for  Israel,  at  least  for  every 

one   in    Israel    capable    of  appreciating  character  and 

wisdom,   a  bridge  between   the   seen  and  the  unseen, 

between  man  and  God. 

We  must  not  indeed  deny  that  this  conviction  was 
liable  to  challenge  and  revision.  It  must  always  be  so 
when  a  man  speaks  for  God,  represents  God.  Doubt 
of  the  wisdom  of  any  command  meant  doubt  whether 
God  had  really  given  it  by  Moses.     And  when  it  seemed 


xiii.;xiv.  i-io.]     THE  SPIES  AND    THEIR  REPORT  165 

that  the  tribes  had  been  unwisely  brought  to  Canaan, 
the  reflection  might  be  that  Moses  had  failed  as  an 
interpreter.  Yet  this  was  not  the  common  conclusion. 
Rather,  from  all  we  learn,  was  it  the  conclusion  that 
Jehovah  Himself  had  failed  the  people  or  deceived  them. 
And  there  lay  the  error  of  unbelief  which  is  constantly 
being  committed  still. 

For  us,  whatever  may  be  said  as  to  the  composition 
of  the  Bible,  it  is  supremely,  and  as  no  other  sacred 
book  can  be,  the  Word  of  God.  As  Moses  was  the 
one  man  in  Israel  who  had  a  right  to  speak  in  Jehovah's 
name,  so  the  Bible  is  the  one  book  which  can  claim  to 
instruct  us  in  faith,  duty,  and  hope.  Speaking  to  us 
in  human  language,  it  may  of  course  be  challenged. 
At  one  point  and  another,  some  even  of  those  who 
believe  in  Divine  communication  to  men  may  question 
whether  the  Bible  writers  have  always  caught  aright 
the  sound  of  the  heavenly  Word.  And  some  go  so  far 
as  to  say :  There  is  no  Divine  Voice  ;  men  have  given 
as  the  Word  of  God,  in  good  faith,  what  arose  in  their 
own  mind,  their  own  exalted  imagination.  Neverthe- 
less, our  faith,  if  faith  we  are  to  have  at  all,  must  rest 
on  this  Book.  We  cannot  get  away  from  human 
words.  We  nmst  rely  on  spoken  or  written  language 
if  we  are  to  know  anything  higher  than  our  own 
thought.  And  what  is  written  in  the  Bible  has  the 
highest  marks  of  inspiration — wisdom,  purity,  truth, 
power  to  convince  and  convert  and  to  build  up  a  life 
in  holiness  and  in  hope.  . 

It  remains  true  accordingly  that  doubt  of  the  Bible 
means  for  us,  must  mean,  not  simply  doubt  of  the  men 
who  have  been  instrumental  in  giving  us  the  Book, 
but  doubt  of  God  Himself.  If  the  Bible  did  not  speak 
in  harmony  with  nature  and  reason   and   the  widest 


1 64  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

human  experience  when  it  lays  down  moral  law,  pre- 
scribes the  true  rules  and  unfolds  the  great  principles 
of  life,  the  affirmation  just  made  would  be  absurd.  But 
it  is  a  book  of  breadth,  full  of  wisdom  which  every 
age  is  verifying.  It  stands  an  absolute,  the  manifest 
embodiment  of  knowledge  drawn  from  the  highest 
sources  available  to  men — from  sources  not  earthly  nor 
temporary,  but  sublime  and  eternal.  Faith,  therefore, 
must  have  its  foundation  on  the  teaching  of  this  Book 
as  to  "  what  man  is  to  believe  concerning  God  and 
what  duty  God  requires  of  man."  And  on  the  other 
hand  infidelity  is  and  must  be  the  result  of  rejecting 
the  revelation  of  the  Bible,  denying  that  here  God 
speaks  with  supreme  wisdom  and  authority  to  our 
souls. 

The  Israelites  doubting  Jehovah  who  had  spoken 
through  Moses,  that  is  to  say,  doubting  the  highest, 
most  inspiring  word  it  was  possible  for  them  to  hear, 
turning  away  from  the  Divine  reason  that  spoke,  the 
heavenly  purpose  revealed  to  them,  had  nothing  to  rely 
upon.  Confused  inadequate  counsels,  chaotic  fears, 
waited  immediately  upon  their  revolt.  They  sank  at 
once  to  despondency  and  the  most  fatuous  and  impos- 
sible projects.  The  men  who  stood  against  their  despair 
were  made  offenders,  almost  sacrificed  to  their  fear. 
Joshua  and  Caleb,  facing  the  tumult,  called  for  confi- 
dence. *'  Fear  not  ye  the  people  of  the  land,"  they  said, 
"  for  they  are  bread  for  us  :  their  defence  is  removed 
from  over  them,  and  Jehovah  is  with  us  :  fear  them 
not."  But  all  the  congregation  bade  stone  them  with 
stones ;  and  it  was  only  the  bright  glow  of  the  pillar 
of  fire  shining  out  at  the  moment  that  prevented  a 
dreadful  catastrophe. 

So  the  faithless  generations  fall  back  still  into  panic, 


xiii.  ;xiv.  i-io.]     THE  SPIES  AND    THETR  REPORT  165 

fatuity,  and  crime.  Trusting  in  their  resources,  men 
say,  "  No  change  need  trouble  us ;  we  have  courage, 
wisdom,  power,  sufficient  for  our  needs."  But  have 
they  unity,  have  they  any  scheme  of  Hfe  for  which  it  is 
worth  while  to  be  courageous  ?  The  hope  of  bare  con- 
tinuance, of  ignoble  safety  and  comfort  will  not  animate, 
will  not  inspire.  Only  some  great  vision  of  Duty  seen 
along  the  track  of  the  eternally  right  will  kindle  the 
heart  of  a  people  ;  the  faith  that  goes  with  that  vision 
will  alone  sustain  courage.  Without  it,  armies  and 
battle-ships  are  but  a  temporary  and  flimsy  defence, 
the  pretext  of  a  self-confidence,  while  the  heart  is 
clouded  with  despair.  Whether  men  say.  We  will 
return  to  Egypt,  refusing  the  call  of  Providence  which 
bids  us  fulfil  a  high  destiny,  or,  still  refusing  to  fulfil 
it.  We  will  maintain  ourselves  in  the  wilderness — they 
have  in  secret  the  conviction  that  they  are  failures, 
that  their  national  organisation  is  a  hollow  pretence. 
And  the  end,  though  it  ma:y  linger  for  a  time,  will  be 
dismemberment  and  disaster. 

Modern  nations,  nominally  Christian,  are  finding  it 
difficult  to  suppress  disorder,  and  occasionally  we  are 
almost  thrown  into  a  state  of  panic  by  the  activity  of 
revolutionists.  Does  the  cause  not  lie  in  this,  that  the 
en  avant  of  Providence  and  Christianity  is  not  obeyed 
either  in  the  politics  or  social  economy  of  the  people  ? 
Like  Israel,  a  nation  has  been  led  so  far  through  the 
wilderness,  but  advance  can  only  be  into  a  new  order 
which  faith  perceives,  to  which  the  voice  of  God  calls. 
If  it  is  becoming  a  general  conclusion  that  there  is 
no  such  country,  or  that  the  conquest  of  it  is  im- 
possible, if  many  are  saying.  Let  us  settle  in  the 
wilderness,  and  others.  Let  us  return  to  Egypt,  what 
can  the  issue  be  but  confusion  ?     This  is  to  encourage 


1 66  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  anarchist,  the  dynamiter.  The  enterprise  of 
humanity,  according  to  such  counsels,  is  so  far  a  failure, 
and  for  the  future  there  is  no  inspiring  hope.  And  to 
make  economic  self-seeking  the  governing  idea  of  a 
nation's  movement  is  simply  to  abandon  the  true  leader 
and  to  choose  another  of  some  ignominious  order. 
Would  it  have  been  possible  to  persuade  Moses  to 
hold  the  command  of  the  tribes,  and  yet  remain  in  the 
desert  or  return  to  Egypt?  Neither  is  it  possible  to 
retain  Christ  as  our  captain  and  also  to  make  this 
world  our  home,  or  return  to  a  practical  heathenism, 
relieved  by  abundance  of  food,  the  Hellenic  worship 
of  beauty,  the  organisation  of  pleasure.  For  the  great 
enterprise  of  spiritual  redemption  alone  will  Christ  be 
our  leader.  We  lose  Him  if  we  turn  to  the  hopes  of 
this  world  and  cease  to  press  the  journey  towards  the 
city  of  God. 


XII 

THE  DOOM   OF   THE   UNBELIEVING 
Numbers  xiv 

THE  spirit  of  revolt  which  came  to  a  head  in  the 
proposal  to  put  Joshua  and  Caleb  to  death  was 
quelled  by  the  fiery  splendour  that  flashed  out  at 
the  tent  of  meeting ;  but  disaffection  continued,  and 
Moses  reahsed  with  horror  that  immediate  destruction 
threatened  the  tribes.  Jehovah  would  smite  them  with 
pestilence,  disinherit  them,  and  raise  up  a  new  nation 
greater  and  mightier  than  they.  Moses  himself  should 
be  the  father  of  the  destined  race. 

The  thought  was  one  at  which  an  ambitious  man 
would  have  grasped ;  and  to  entertain  it  might  well 
seem  a  good  man's  duty.  In  what  better  way  could 
one  of  earnest  and  courageous  spirit  serve  the  world 
and  the  Divine  purpose  of  grace  ?  Moses  stood  as  a 
representative  of  Abraham,  to  whom  the  promise  had 
been  first  given,  and  of  Jacob,  to  whom  it  had  been 
renewed.  If  the  will  of  Heaven  was  that  a  fresh 
beginning  in  the  old  succession  should  be  made,  the 
honour  was  not  lightly  to  be  put  aside.  Moses  now 
saw,  as  Abraham  saw,  a  great  possibility.  The  Divine 
purpose  did  not  fail,  though  Israel  proved  unfit  to 
serve  it ;  in  the  field  of  a  more  instructed  age  that 
magnificent  hope  which  made  Abraham  great  would 
blossom  more  generously  and  yield  its  fruit  of  blessing. 

167 


i68  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

With  the  sense  of  this  possible  honour  to  himself,  there 
came,  however,  to  Moses  other  and  arresting  thoughts. 
For  Abraham  had  become  great  by  sacrifice,  and  only 
one  spiritually  greater  even  than  he  could  found  a 
worthier  race.  Did  Moses  not  think  of  that  scene  on 
Moriah,  when  the  son  of  the  promise  lay  stretched  on 
the  altar,  and  feel  himself  inspired  for  a  sacrifice  of 
his  own  ?  Yet  what  could  it  be  ?  Nothing  but  the 
silent  inward  refusal  of  that  great  honour  which  v/as 
being  put  in  his  power,  the  honour  of  becoming  even 
higher  than  Abraham  in  the  line  of  originators.  True, 
it  seemed  that  necessity  was  laid  on  him.  Yet  might 
not  Jehovah  intervene  on  Israel's  behalf  as  once  before 
on  Isaac's,  when  the  mioment  of  his  death  had  almost 
come  ?  Not  to  sacrifice  Israel  was  the  call  Moses 
heard  when  he  listened  in  the  silence,  but  to  sacrifice 
his  own  hope,  though  it  seemed  to  be  pressed  on  him 
by  Providence.  And  this  began  to  prove  itself'  the 
necessity.  On  the  one  hand  he  could  not  hide  the 
fear  that  even  if  the  Israelites  were  settled  in  Canaan 
a  long  period  of  education  would  be  required  to  fit 
them  for  national  life  and  power ;  after  man}^  generations 
they  would  be  still  incapable  of  any  high  spiritual  task. 
But  if  Israel  perished,  what  would  happen  ?  The  faith 
of  Jehovah,  already  established  as  an  influence  in  the 
world,  would  fall  into  abeyance.  When  doom  fell  on 
Israel,  the  Egyptians  would  hear  of  it,  Canaan  would 
hear  of  it.  The  desert,  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  the  hills 
of  the  Promised  Land,  would  ring  with  the  exultant  cry 
that  Jehovah  had  failed.  And' then — how  long  would 
the  world  have  to  wait  till  this  seeming  defeat  could 
be  retrieved  ?  Century  after  century  had  passed  since 
Abraham  left  his  own  land  to  fulfil  the  vocation  of  God. 
Century  after  century  would  have  to  pass  before  the 


xiv.]  THE  DOOM  OF  THE   UNBELIEVING  169 

sons  of  Moses  could  attain  to  any  greatness,  any  power 
to  move  the  world.  The  instrument  Jehovah  had  mean- 
while to  use  was  imperfect ;  the  tribes  were  not  like  a 
strong  two-edged  sword  in  the  hand  of  the  King.  Yet 
they  existed ;  they  could  be  used,  and  Divine  might, 
Divine  grace,  could  overcome  their  imperfection.  Ere 
the  world  grew  older  in  ignorance  and  idolatry,  Moses 
would  have  the  heavenly  purpose  wrought.  For  this 
he  will  renounce,  for  this  he  must  renounce,  the  honour 
possible  to  himself.     Let  Jehovah  do  all. 

His  choice  made,  Moses  intercedes  with  God.  The 
prayer  has  an  air  of  simple  anthropomorphism.  He 
appears  to  plead  that  Jehovah  should  not  imperil  His 
own  fame.  The  underlying  thought  is  partly  concealed 
by  the  form  of  expression  ;  but  the  meaning  is  clear. 
It  is  the  dawning  power  of  the  religion  of  God  for 
which  Moses  is  concerned.  He  would  not  have  that 
lost  to  men  which  by  the  events  of  the  exodus  and  the 
wilderness  journey  has  been  so  far  secured.  Egypt 
is  half  persuaded ;  Canaan  is  beginning  to  see  that 
Jehovah  is  greater  than  Anubis  and  Thoth,  than 
Moloch  and  Baal.  Was  that  impression  to  fade  and 
to  be  succeeded  by  doubt,  possibly  contempt  of  Jehovah 
as  Israel's  God.  He  had  brought  His  people  into  the 
wilderness,  but  He  could  not  establish  them  in  Canaan  ; 
therefore  He  slew  them  :  if  that  were  said,  would  not 
the  loss  to  mankind  be  incalculable  ?  ''  Thou,  Jehovah, 
art  seen  face  to  face,  and  Thy  cloud  standeth  over 
them,  and  Thou  goest  before  them  in  a  pillar  of  cloud 
by  day,  and  in  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night."  The  astonished 
lands  have  seen  this  ;  let  them  not  return  with  greater 
trust  than  ever  to  their  own  poor  idols. 

In  the  report  of  Moses'  intercession  words  are  quoted 
which  were  part  of  the  revelation  of  the  Divine  character 


I70  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

at  Sinai:  "Jehovah  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in 
mercy,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression,  and  that 
W\\\  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty  ;  visiting  the  iniquity 
of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  upon  the  third  and 
fourth  generation."  The  prayer  quoting  these  latter 
clauses  is  abundantly  sincere  ;  and  it  proceeds  on  the 
belief  that  mercy  rather  than  judgment  is  the  delight 
of  God.  The  greatness  of  the  Divine  compassion 
already  shown  time  after  time  since  the  people  left 
Egypt  is  still  relied  upon.  And  the  desire  of  Moses  is 
granted  so  far  as  it  is  in  harmony  with  the  character 
and  purpose  of  God.  "  Thou  wast  a  God  that  forgavest 
them,  though  Thou  tookest  vengeance  of  their  doings  " 
(Psalm  xcix.  8). 

Jehovah  says,  ''  I  have  pardoned  according  to  My 
word."  The  national  sin  is  not  to  be  visited  with 
destruction  of  the  nation.  No  pestilence  shall  exter- 
minate the  murmurers,  nor  shall  they  be  left  without 
the  guidance  of  Moses  and  of  the  cloud  to  melt  away 
in  the  plagues  of  the  wilderness.  But  yet  the  power 
of  Jehovah  shall  be  shown  in  their  punishment ;  the 
manner  of  it  shall  be  such  that  the  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  The  men  who  came  out 
of  Egypt  and  have  tempted  Jehovah  ten  times  shall 
never  see  Canaan.  Their  carcases  shall  fall  in  the 
desert.  For  forty  years  shall  the  Israelites  wander 
as  shepherds  till  the  evil  generation  shall  have 
disappeared. 

Divine  Providence  judges  the  pusillanimity  of  men. 
Their  fear  deprives  them  of  that  which  is  offered  and 
actually  put  within  their  grasp.  They  prove  them- 
selves incapable  when  the  time  of  decisive  endeavour 
comes,  and  a  new  generation  must  arise  before  the 
ripeness  of  circumstance  again  opens   the  way.     The 


xiv.]  THE  DOOM  OF  THE   UNBELIEVING  171 

case  of  the  Israelites  shows  that  rebuke  and  disappoint- 
ment are  necessary  in  the  Divine  discipline  of  human 
life.  Defects  of  character,  of  faith,  are  not  overborne 
by  a  tour  de  force  in  order  that  the  development  of  a 
heavenly  purpose  may  be  hastened.  It  would  indeed 
cease  to  be  a  heavenly  purpose,  if  with  easy  forgiveness 
God  gave  miraculous  success.  The  result  would  be  no 
gain  in  the  long-run  to  any  good  cause.  If  men  fail, 
God  can  wait  for  others  who  shall  not  fail.  We  are 
apt  to  forget  this ;  we  think  that  we  show  proper  trust 
in  the  fulness  of  Divine  pardon  when  we  insist  that  men 
who  have  erred  and  been  forgiven,  who  have  faithlessly 
missed  their  opportunity  and  passed  through  penitence 
into  new  zeal,  shall  be  hurried  on  to  the  duties  they 
refused  to  face.  But  now,  as  in  the  times  of  Israel,  the 
law  of  adequate  discipline  forbids,  the  law  of  punish- 
ment forbids.  Humanity  is  not  to  be  cheated  of  its 
Divine  instruction,  nor  shall  any  pretext  of  generosity 
or  necessity  be  urged  in  order  that  certain  men  may 
enter  a  Canaan  they  ©nee  refused  to  possess.  We 
see  a  term  set  to  a  probation. 

Does  it  appear  an  inordinate  punishment,  this  denial 
of  Canaan  to  the  unbelieving  ?  There  is  no  need  to 
think  so.  For  the  men  and  women  who  held  back  in 
doubt  of  God,  the  wilderness,  quite  as  well  as  Canaan, 
would  serve  the  main  end,  to  teach  them  trust.  Life 
went  on  still  under  the  protection  of  the  Almighty. 
The  desert  was  His,  as  well  as  the  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey.  Yea,  in  the  desert  they  had,  being 
such  as  they  were,  fewer  temptations  to  question  the 
power  of  God  and  their  own  need  of  Him  than  they 
would  have  found  in  the  land  of  promise.  May  we  not 
say  that  men  who  had  been  so  ready  to  receive  an  evil 
report  of  the  land  would  have  been  confirmed  in  their 


172  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

doubt  of  Jehovah  if  they  had  been  allowed  to  cross  the 
frontier  ?  Better  for  them  to  remain  in  the  desert  that 
made  no  pretence  to  be  anything  else,  than  to  enter 
Canaan  and  find  excuses  for  calling  it  a  desert.  No 
individual  was  prevented  from  learning  to  know  God 
and  trust  Him ;  of  that  v/e  may  be  sure.  The  way  of 
instruction  was  that  of  penitence  and  sorrow  and  con- 
tinued hardships.  But  there  would  have  been  no  other 
way  for  those  unbelievers  even  if  they  had  entered  on 
the  promised  inheritance.  In  Canaan,  as  well  as  in  the 
desert,  they  would  have  had  to  learn  contrition,  to 
advance  in  moral  life  by  means  of  temporal  hardships 
and  defeat. 

And  there  was  a  limitation  of  the  judgment.  Only 
those  from  twenty  years  old  and  upward  were  included. 
The  young  men  and  young  women,  presumably  because 
they  had  not  bewailed  their  lot  and  cried  against  Moses 
and  God,  having  too  much  of  the  hopeful  spirit  of  youth, 
were  not  condemned  to  die  in  the  wilderness.  A 
difference  was  there,  and  by  the  terms  of  the  deliver- 
ance was  made  clear,  which  often  comes  to  light  in 
human  history.  The  old,  who  should  know  most  of  the 
goodness  of  God  and  His  unfailing  power,  draw  back ; 
the  young  and  inexperienced  are  ready  to  advance. 
Men  who  are  occupied  with  affairs  tend  to  think  that 
their  wise  management  brings  success,  and  they  place 
Divine  Providence  secondary  to  their  own  wisdom. 
Shall  we  be  able  for  this  ?  they  ask.  Does  this  approve 
itself  to  us  as  men  of  the  world,  responsible  men  ? 
If  not,  they  think  it  would  be  folly  to  go  forward  even 
at  the  call  of  God.  But  the  young  are  not  so  wise  in 
their  own  experience  ;  they  are  in  the  mood  to  dare : 
the  young  and  the  trustful — men  like  Joshua  and  Caleb, 
who  have  learned  that  power  and  success  are  of  God, 


xiv.]  THE  DOOM  OF  THE   UNBELIEVING  173 

and  that  His  way  is  always  safe.  To  calculate  and  act 
on  the  basis  of  expediency  is  not  the  failing  of  the 
young.  Let  us  pray  for  men  who  have  faith  in  the 
future  of  humanity  and  of  the  Church  to  stand  forth 
and  rally  about  them  the  youths,  not  spoiled  by  over- 
wise  theories  of  life,  who  have  still  in  their  souls  the 
heavenly  instinct  of  hope. 

Caleb  has  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  history  peculiar 
honour,  all  the  more  remarkable  that  he  was,  properly 
speaking,  no  Israelite.  The  narrative  at  this  point 
associates  his  family  with  the  tribe  of  Judah.  But  Caleb 
was  a  Kenizzite  (Numb,  xxxii.  1 2) ;  and  Kenaz  appears 
in  Gen.  xxxvi.  11,  15,  as  an  Edomite  or  descendant 
of  Esau.  At  what  time  this  particular  Kenizzite  family 
joined  the  expedition  of  Israel  we  have  no  hint.  As 
yet,  however,  there  was  no  inter-marriage  ;  and  it  should 
be  noticed  that  the  district  which  in  consideration  of  his 
fidelity  Caleb  has  for  his  inheritance  in  Canaan  is  the 
same  as  was  occupied  by  Kenizzites  before  the  conquest. 
There  is,  of  course,  no  improbability  in  this ;  it  may 
rather  appear  to  give  proof  of  the  genuineness  of  the 
narrative.  Caleb  joins  the  Israelites,  attaches  himself  to 
Judah  in  the  camp  and  on  the  march,  proves  himself  a 
faithful  servant  of  God  and  of  the  host,  and  has  the 
promise  of  his  forefathers'  inheritance  when  the  dis- 
tribution of  Canaan  shall  be  made.  He  reported 
favourably  of  the  region  about  Hebron ;  and  Hebron 
became  his  city,  as  we  learn  from  Josh.  xiv. 

In  contrast  to  the  special  promise  made  to  Joshua 
and  Caleb  is  the  fate  of  the  other  ten  whose  report 
brought  "a  slander  upon  the  land."  These  "died  by 
the  plague  before  Jehovah."  It  would  seem  that  before 
Moses  appealed  to  God  on  behalf  of  the  people,  the 
pestilence  was  spreading  which  might  have  swept  the 


174  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Israelites  down  like  Sennacherib's  army  in  after-times. 
And  the  ten  false  spies  had  been  among  the  first  to  die. 
Little  indeed  know  men  how  soon  Providence  will  con- 
vict them  of  their  faithlessness  and  rebellion.  Let  us 
save  our  lives,  they  say,  by  holding  back  from  duties 
that  involve  difficulty  and  danger.  Why  advance 
where  we  are  sure  to  fall  by  the  sword  ?  But  the 
sword  finds  them  nevertheless,  or  the  plague  lays  hold 
of  them  ;  and  where  then  is  the  life  they  were  so  careful 
to  preserve  ?  The  men  of  Israel  who  said,  ''  Let  us 
not  go  to  Canaan,  but  return  to  Egypt,"  neither  see 
Canaan  nor  Egypt.  They  gain  nothing  they  desire ; 
they  lose  all  they  were  so  careful  to  keep. 

Suddenly  at  ver.  40  we  are  brought  to  a  new 
development.  The  people  no  sooner  hear  their  doom 
than  they  resolve  to  take  the  future  into  their  own 
hands.  They  acknowledge  that  they  have  sinned, 
meaning,  however,  only  that  they  have  fallen  into  a 
mistake  the  consequence  of  which  they  had  not  fore- 
seen ;  and  with  this  inadequate  confession  of  fault  they 
decide  to  make  the  advance  into  Canaan  forthwith. 
They  do  not  see  that  instead  of  recovering  their  hope 
in  God  by  any  such  attempt  they  will  really  deepen  the 
alienation  between  themselves  and  Him.  Submission 
is  indeed  hard,  but  it  is  their  one  grace,  their  one  duty. 
If  they  press  on  into  Canaan,  they  must  go  without 
the  Lord,  as  Moses  warns  them,  and  they  shall  not 
prosper. 

It  is  not  enough  when  men  have  discovered  an  evil 
heart  of  unbelief,  and  turned  again  in  repentance,  that 
they  take  up  the  thread  of  life  which  has  become 
ravelled.  Perverse  faithlessness  cannot  be  cured  by 
a  sudden  decision  to  resume  the  duty  which  was 
abandoned    in    fear.     The    refusal    was    no    superficial 


xiv.]  THE  DOOM  OF   THE    UNBELIEVING  175 

thing,  but  had  its  source  in  the  springs  of  will,  the 
character  and  habits  of  life.  We  are  apt  to  judge 
otherwise,  and  to  suppose  that  we  can  alter  the  whole 
current  of  our  nature  by  a  single  act  of  choice.  To-day 
the  trend  is  strongly  in  one  direction,  along  a  channel 
which  has  been  forming  for  many  years ;  to-morrow 
we  think  it  possible  to  become  other  men,  strong  where 
we  were  weak,  determined  upon  that  which  we  abhorred. 
Bwt  something  must  intervene ;  some  change  must  take 
place  deeper  than  our  impulse.  We  must  have  the  new 
heart  and  the  right  spirit ;  and  in  proportion  to  the 
gravity  of  the  situation  and  the  importance  of  the  duty 
to  be  done  must  the  time  of  discipline  be  long.  The 
wilderness  wandering  had  to  be  for  many  years  because 
the  temper  of  a  whole  people  was  to  be  altered.  For 
a  single  person  a  far  shorter  ordeal  may  suffice.  He 
may  pass  through  the  stages  of  conviction,  repentance, 
and  new  creation  in  a  few  wrecks  or  even  days.  Nay, 
sometimes  the  regenerating  Spirit  brings  about  the 
change  apparently  in  a  moment.  Yet  the  rule  is  that 
stability  in  faith  must  come  slowly,  that  the  way  ot 
trial  cannot  be  hastened.  A  great  task,  therefore,  the 
right  doing  of  which  is  necessary  to  the  open  vindica- 
tion of  religion,  may  not  be  gone  about  in  a  sudden 
change  of  mind.  We  are  not  to  take  lightly,  into 
untried  hands,  the  massive  plough  of  the  kingdom  ot 
God. 

In  Canaan,  the  Amalekites  and  Canaanites,  Moses 
said,  would  dispute  the  advance  of  Israel, — Amalekites 
skilled  in  desultory  war,  Canaanites  long  trained  in 
military  art.  These  would  fight  without  any  sense 
of  the  support  of  the  true  God.  But  how  would  the 
Hebrews  speed,  meeting  them  on  the  same  footing? 
The  contest  would  be  then  between  human  skill  and 


176  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

daring  on  either  side ;  and  there  could  be  no  doubt 
as  to  the  issue.  Bands  of  men  acquainted  with  the 
country,  discipHned  in  war  as  the  tribes  of  Israel  were 
not,  fighting  for  their  fields  and  homes  with  a  defence 
of  walled  cities  to  fall  back  upon,  would  certainly  win. 
If  the  Hebrews  went  up,  it  would  be  without  the  sign 
of  Jehovah's  presence ;  the  ark  of  the  covenant  could 
not  be  borne  with  the  army  on  such  an  expedition. 
Their  attempt,  being  presumptuous,  must  end  in 
disaster. 

Too  often  the  conflicts  in  which  the  Church  is 
involved  are  of  this  very  kind.  There  is  profession  of 
high  moral  design  and  Christian  principle.  Ostensibly 
it  is  for  the  sake  of  true  religion  that  something  is 
undertaken.  But  in  reality  the  affair  is  not  one  that 
belongs  to  the  essence  of  faith.  It  is  perhaps  a 
question  of  prestige,  of  exclusive  claim  to  certain  rights 
or  moneys,  the  very  last  thing  a  Christian  church  should 
insist  upon.  Then  the  contest  is  between  human 
diplomacy  and  resolution,  whether  on  the  one  side 
or  the  other.  It  is  idle  to  call  a  campaign  like  this 
a  holy  war.  The  ark  of  the  covenant  does  not  accom- 
pany the  army  that  calls  itself  Jehovah's.  As  Israel 
found  that  even  Amalekites  and  Canaanites  were  too 
strong  for  her,  so  has  the  Church  often  found  that 
men  whom  she  termed  unbehevers  were  superior  to  her 
in  the  arms  she  chose  to  use.  Again  and  again  have 
her  forces  had  to  retire  smitten  even  unto  Hormah. 
For  those  who  are  called  unbelievers  and  atheists  have 
their  rights ;  and  they  will  always  be  able  to  maintain 
their  rights  against  a  presumptuous  church  which 
''goes  up  into  the  mountain"  without  the  sanction 
of  its  living  Head. 

It  was  no  general  advance  of  the  tribes  that  on  this 


xiv.]  THE  DOOM  OF  THE   UNBELIEVING  177 

occasion  ended  in  defeat.  The  solid,  resolute  march 
of  the  whole  people  was  a  very  different  thing  from  the 
half-hearted  sally  of  some  hundreds  of  fighting  men. 
When  the  host  of  the  Israelites,  men,  women,  and 
children,  moved  together,  the  men  of  war  had  support 
in  the  sympathy  of  those  they  defended,  in  the  prayers 
of  the  priest  and  of  the  people.  They  were  nerved  to 
play  the  part  of  heroes  by  the  thought  that  all  depended 
upon  them,  that  if  they  failed  their  wives  and  children 
would  be  put  to  the  sword.  And  again  there  is  a 
parallel  in  the  advance  of  the  Church  against  her 
adversaries.  If  the  officials  only  go  out  to  fight,  if  it 
is  their  affair,  their  expedition,  if  there  is  no  strong 
onward  movement  of  the  whole  host,  what  is  there  to 
give  support  to  the  enterprise  ?  The  fighting  men 
may  seem  to  have  heart  enough  for  their  battle;  but 
the  underlying  feeling  that  they  are  not  engaged  in  the 
defence  of  the  Gospel  itself,  or  in  guarding  any  position 
on  which  the  power  and  success  of  the  Gospel  depend, 
must  always,  and  properly,  weaken  their  arms.  There 
is  all  the  difference  in  the  world  between  an  ecclesias- 
tical battle  and  the  contest  for  vital  faith.  And  it  is  a 
matter  of  regret  that  so  much  of  the  strength  and 
ardour  of  good  men  should  be  wasted  in  downright 
earthly  fighting,  when  the  feeling  of  the  Church  as  a 
whole  is  not  with  those  who  claim  to  be  her  army. 
Let  all  the  tribes,  that  is  to  say  all  the  churches  of 
Christ  that  are  of  one  mind  as  to  vital  truth,  advance 
together,  without  jealousy,  without  mutual  contempt, 
and  the  opposition  to  Christianity  will  practically  melt 
away. 

From  the  twenty-first  chapter,  which  appears  to  open 
with  a  reminiscence  of  the  first  attack  on  Canaan,  we 
gather  that  one  of  those  who  opposed  the  expedition 

12 


178  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

was  the  Canaanite  King  of  Arad.  The  advance  appears 
therefore  to  have  been  made  by  way  of  Hezron  and 
Beersheba.  The  mountains  visible  from  the  camp  were 
likely  the  chalk  hills  beyond  the  "Ascent  of  Akrabbim." 
These  passed,  probably  near  Hezron,  a  valley  opened, 
stretching  away  towards  Hebron.  The  Amalekites 
gathering  from  every  wady,  and  the  Canaanites  from 
the  ridge  to  the  right,  where  Arad  lay,  seem  to  have 
fallen  upon  the  Hebrews  with  a  sudden  onset.  While 
many  escaped  others  were  slain  or  taken  captive.  A 
keen  memory  of  the  defeat  survived  ;  but  it  was  not 
till  long  afterwards,  in  the  days  of  the  judges,  that  the 
strongholds  of  the  region  were  reduced. 


XIII 

OFFERINGS:  SABBATH-KEEPING :  DRESS 

Numbers  xv 

THE  enactments  of  this  chapter  regarding  meal 
offerings  and  drink  offerings,  the  heave  offerings 
of  the  first  dough,  and  the  atonement  for  unwitting 
errors  belong  to  the  cultus  of  Canaan.  Nothing- 
generic  distinguishes  the  first  and  third  of  these  statutes 
from  some  that  were  presumably  to  be  observed  in  the 
desert ;  but  the  note  is  explicit,  '*  When  ye  be  come 
into  the  land  of  your  habitations  which  I  give  unto 
you,"  "When  ye  be  come  into  the  land  whither  I  bring 
you."  The  whole  chapter,  with  its  instance  of  pre- 
sumptuous sin  introduced  by  the  clause,  "  And  while 
the  children  of  Israel  were  in  the  wilderness,"  marking 
a  return  to  that  time,  and  its  commandment  regarding 
the  fringes  or  tassels  of  blue  to  be  attached  to  the  dress 
as  remembrancers  of  obligations,  may  appear  at  first 
sight  without  any  reference  either  to  what  has  preceded 
or  what  follows.  The  compilers,  however,  have  a 
definite  purpose  in  view.  The  presumption  of  Korah 
and  his  company,  and  of  Dathan  and  Abiram,  is  in 
contrast  to  the  unwitting  faults  for  which  atonement 
is  provided,  and  it  comes  under  the  category  of  what  is 
"  done  with  a  high  hand  " — a  form  of  blasphemy  which 
is  to  be  punished  with  death.     The  case  of  the  Sabbath- 

179 


l8o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

breaker  is  an  instance  of  this  unpardonable  sin,  and 
sends  its  light  on  to  the  incidents  that  follow.  Even 
the  memorial  fringes  or  tassels,  and  the  prophetic 
sentences  that  accompany  the  command  to  wear  them, 
seem  to  be  forewarnings  of  the  doom  of  sacrilegious 
m.en. 

I.  Meal  and  Drink  Offerings. — The  statute  regard- 
ing offerings  "to  make  a  sweet  savour  unto  Jehovah  " 
is  specially  occupied  with  prescribing  the  proportion  of 
flour  and  oil  and  wine  to  be  presented  along  with  the 
animal  brought  for  a  burnt  offering  or  sacrifice.  Any 
one  separating  himself  in  terms  of  a  vow,  or  desiring 
to  express  gratitude  for  some  Divine  favour,  or  again 
on  the  occasion  of  a  sacred  festival  when  he  had  special 
cause  of  rejoicing  before  God,  might  bring  a  lamb,  a 
ram,  or  an  ox  as  his  oblation ;  and  the  meal  and  drink 
ofterings  were  to  vary  with  the  value  of  the  animal 
brought  for  sacrifice.  The  law  does  not  demand  the 
same  offering  of  every  person  under  similar  circum- 
stances. According  to  his  means  or  his  gratitude  he 
may  give.  But  deciding  first  as  to  his  burnt  or  slain 
offering,  he  must  add  to  it,  for  a  lamb,  the  tenth  of  an 
ephah  of  fine  flour  mixed  with  a  quarter  of  a  hin  of  oil, 
and  also  a  quarter  of  a  hin  of  wine.  For  a  bullock,  the 
quantities  were  to  be  three-tenths  of  an  ephah  of  fine 
flour,  with  half  a  hin  of  oil,  and,  as  a  drink  offering, 
half  a  hin  of  wine. 

The  provision  is  a  singular  one,  based  on  some  sense 
of  what  was  becoming  which  we  cannot  pretend  to 
revive.  But  it  points  to  a  rule  which  the  Apostle  Paul 
ma}^  have  recognised  in  this  and  other  Jewish  statutes 
as  belonging  to  universal  morality :  "  Take  thought 
for  things  | honourable  in  the  sight  of  all   men."     To 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:  SABBATH-KEEPING :    DRESS         i8i 

make  a  show  of  generosity  by  giving  a  bullock,  while 
the  flour  and  oil  and  wine  were  withheld,  was  not 
seemly.  Neither  is  it  seemly  for  a  Christian  to  be 
lavish  in  his  gifts  to  the  Church,  but  withhold  the 
meal  offering  and  drink  offering  he  owes  to  the  poor. 
Throughout  the  whole  range  of  use  and  expenditure, 
personal  and  of  the  family,  a  proportion  is  to  be  found 
which  it  is  one  of  the  Christian  arts  to  determine,  one 
of  the  Christian  duties  to  observe.  And  nothing  is 
right  unless  all  is  right.  The  penny  saved  here  takes 
away  the  sweet  savour  of  the  pound  given  there.  No 
man  is  in  this  to  be  a  lav/  to  himself.  Public  justice 
and  Divine  are  to  be  satisfied. 

The  presence  or  absence  of  oil  in  an  oblation  marked 
its  character.  The  sin  offering  and  the  jealousy  offering 
were  without  oil.  The  *'  oil  of  joy  "  (Isa.  Ixi.  3)  ac- 
companied festal  and  peace  offerings.  All  ordinances 
prescribing  the  oblation  of  wine  and  oil  necessarily 
belonged  to  the  cultus  of  Canaan^  for  in  the  wilderness 
neither  of  these  elements  of  the  sacrifice  could  be 
always  had.  The  idea  underlying  the  peace  offerings, 
with  their  accompanying  meal  and  drink  offerings,  was 
unquestionably  that  of  feasting  with  Jehovah,  enjoying 
His  bounty  at  His  table.  Acknowledgment  was  made 
that  the  cattle  on  the  hills  were  His,  that  it  was  He 
who  gave  the  harvest,  the  vintage,  and  the  fruit  of 
the  olive-grove.  Confession  of  man's  indebtedness  to 
Jehovah  as  Lord  of  nature  was  interwoven  with  the 
whole  sacrificial  system. 

In  connection  with  this  ordinance  of  meal  and  drink 
offerings,  and  that  of  atonement  for  unintentional  failures 
in  duty  (ver.  22  ff ),  it  is  very  carefully  enacted  that 
the  law  shall  be  the  same  for  the  '*  homeborn "  and 
the    **  stranger."      *'  For    the  assembly  there  shall   be 


1 82  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


one  statute  for  you  and  for  the  stranger  that  sojourneth 
with  you,  a  statute  for  ever  throughout  your  genera- 
tions :  as  3^e  are,  so  shall  the  stranger  be  before   the 
Lord."     The   design  is   to  secure  religious  unity,  and 
by  means  of  it  gradually  to  incorporate  with  Israel  all 
dwellers  in  the  land.     While  certain  ordinances  were 
intended  to  make  Israel  a    holy  nation  separated  and 
consecrated  to  Jehovah,  this  ad-mission  of  strangers  to 
the  privileges  of  the  covenant  has  another  design.     In 
the    Book    of  Deuteronomy    (vii.    2)   a  statute    occurs 
that  entirely    excludes   from    citizenship  and    incorpo- 
ration   all    Canaanites,    Hittites,    Jebusites,    Amorites, 
Hivites,  Girgashites,  and  Perizzites.     There  was  to  be 
no  intermarriage  with  them,  no  toleration  of  them,  lest 
they  led   Israel  away  into    idolatry.      The    statute    is 
enforced  by  the  words,   ''  For  thou  art  an  holy  people 
unto   the    Lord    thy    God  :    the    Lord    thy    God    hath 
chosen    thee    to    be   a   peculiar    people    unto    Himself, 
above  all  peoples  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 
With  this  emphatic  assertion  of  the  severance  of  the 
Hebrews  from  other  races  the  strain  of  Numbers,  as 
well  as  Exodus  and  Leviticus,  generally  agrees.     When 
we  endeavour  to   harmonise  with  it  the  admission  of 
strangers  to  the  right  and  joy  of  sacrificial  festivals, 
we    at   once  meet    the  difficulty  that   no    other   races 
were  fitter  to  be  received  into  religious  confraternity 
than  those  of  Caanan.     Neither  Babylonians,  Syrians, 
Phoenicians,  nor  Philistines  were   free   from   the  taint 
of  idolatry;    and   however  degrading  the  rites  of  the 
Canaanites  were,   some  of  the  other  nations   followed 
practices  quite  as  revolting. 

We  know  that  for  a  long  period  of  Israel's  history 
strangers  were,  according  to  the  statute  presently 
under    consideration,    admitted    to    the    fellowship    of 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:   SABBATH-KEEPING :  DRESS         183 

religion,  as  well  as  to  high  office  in  the  state.  "  We 
have  only  to  study  the  Book  of  Joshua  to  discover 
that  the  Israelites,  like  the  Saxons  in  Britain,  destroyed 
the  cities  and  not  the  population  of  the  country,  and 
that  the  number  of  cities  actually  overthrown  was  not 
very  large.  We  have  only  to  turn  to  the  list  of 
the  *  mighty  men '  of  David  to  learn  how  many  of 
them  were  foreigners,  Hittites,  Ammonites,  Zobahites, 
and  even  Phihstines  of  Gath  (2  Sam.  xv.  18,  19; 
vi.  10).  Nor  must  it  be  forgotten  that  David  himself 
was  partly  a  Moabite  by  descent."  ^  In  accordance 
with  this  large  tolerance  we  might  be  disposed  to 
include  among  the  *'  strangers  "  admitted  to  privilege 
men  belonging  to  races  that  inhabited  Canaan  before 
the  conquest.  Even  Deuteronomy  seems  in  one 
passage  to  exclude  none  but  Ammonites  and  Moab- 
ites ;  and  the  covenant  law  of  Exod.  xxiii.  commands 
generous  treatment  of  the  stranger.  In  contrast  to 
the  *'  homeborn,"  strangers  may  appear  to  mean  those 
only  who  had  come  from  other  countries  and  chosen 
to  identify  themselves  with  the  faith  and  fortunes  of 
Israel ;  still  this  passage  attempts  no  such  definition, 
and  on  the  whole  we  must  allow  that  the  Mosaic  law 
in  regulating  the  political  and  social  position  of  resident 
non-Israelites  showed  "a  spirit  of  great  liberality." 
They  had,  of  course,  to  conform  to  many  laws — those, 
for  instance,  of  marriage,  and  those  which  forbade  the 
eating  of  blood  and  the  flesh  of  animals  not  properly 
slaughtered.  If  uncircumcised,  they  could  not  keep  the 
Passover  ;  but  being  circumcised,  they  had  equal  rights 
with    the   Hebrews.       The   purpose    evidently  was    to 


*  Sayce,    "The    Higher  Criticism  and  the  Verdict   of  the  Monu- 
ments," p.  359. 


1 84  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

make  an  open  way  to  the  benefits  of  Israel's  govern- 
ment and  religion. 

The  heave  offering  of  the  first  dough  is  placed 
(ver.  20)  side  by  side  wifh  the  heave  offering  of  the 
threshing-floor  of  the  first  sheaves.  In  Leviticus 
(xxiii.  17)  a  harvest  oblation  is  ordered — two  wave- 
loaves  of  fine  flour  baken  with  leaven.  Here  the  heave 
offering  of  a  cake  made  from  the  first  dough  is  not 
accompanied  with  sacrifices  of  animals,  but  is  of  a 
simple  kind,  mainly  a  tribute  to  the  priests.  The 
Deuteronomic  statute  regarding  firstfruits,  which  were 
to  be  put  in  a  basket  and  set  down  before  the  altar, 
prescribed  a  formula  of  dedication  beginning,  "An 
Aramean  ready  to  perish  was  my  father,  and  he  went 
down  into  Egypt "  :  and  the  offering  of  these  firstfruits 
was  to  bean  occasion  of  joy — ''Thou  shalt  rejoice  in 
all  the  good  which  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  given  unto 
thee  and  unto  thine  house,  thou  and  the  Levite,  and 
the  stranger  that  is  in  the  midst  of  thee."  There  can 
be  no  question  that  the  most  developed  statute  regard- 
ing these  harvest  offerings  is  that  given  in  Leviticus, 
where  the  exact  time  for  the  presentation  of  the  loaves 
is  fixed,  the  fiftieth  day  after  the  Sabbath,  from  the  day 
when  the  sheaf  was  brought.  The  feast  accompanying 
the  offering  of  the  loaves  came  to  be  known  as  that  of 
Pentecost. 

Passing  now  to  the  law  of  atonement  for  unintentional 
omissions  of  duty,  we  notice  that  the  introductory 
sentences  (vv.  22,  23)  have  a  pecuUar  retrospective 
cast.  They  seem  to  point  back  to  the  time  when  the 
Lord  gave  commandment  by  the  hand  of  Moses.  It 
would  appear  that  in  course  of  years  discovery  was 
made  that  portions  of  the  law  were  neglected,  and  the 
provisions  of  this  statute  were  to  relieve   the  nation 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:    SABBATH-KEEPING :  DRESS         185 

and  individuals  of  accumulating  defilement.  ''When 
ye  shall  err,  and  not  observe  all  these  commandments, 
which  the  Lord  hath  spoken  unto  Moses,  even  all  that 
the  Lord  hath  commanded  you  by  the  hand  of  Moses, 
from  the  day  that  the  Lord  gave  commandment,  and 
onward  throughout  your  generations ;  then  it  shall  be, 
if  it  be  done  unwittingly,  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
congregation " — so  runs  the  preamble.  A  series  of 
statutes  in  Lev.  iv.  contemplates  offences  of  a  like 
kind,  when  something  has  been  done  which  the  Lord 
commanded  not  to  be  done.  The  enactment  of  Numbers 
appears  to  point  to  a  "  complete  falling  away  of  the 
congregation  from  the  whole  of  the  law,"  an  unconscious 
apostasy.  Maimonides  understands  the  provision  as 
relating  to  guilt  incurred  by  the  people  in  adopting 
customs  and  usages  of  the  heathen  that  seemed  to  be 
reconcilable  with  the  law  of  Jehovah,  though  they  really 
led  to  contempt  and  neglect  of  His  commandments.^ 

For  the  nation  as  a  whole,  under  these  circumstances, 
atonement  was  to  be  made  by  the  burnt  offering  of  a 
young  bullock  with  its  meal  offering  and  drink  offering, 
and  the  sin  offering  of  a  he-goat.  In  this  purgation 
all  strangers  resident  with  Israel  are  specially  included. 
When  any  person  discovered  that  he  had  neglected  a 
precept,  he  was  to  offer  a  she-goat  of  the  first  year 
for  a  sin  offering.  The  Israelite  and  the  stranger 
ahke  had  in  this  way  access  to  the  sanctuary.  But  in 
contrast  to  unintentional  omission  of  duty  was  set 
deliberate  neglect  of  it.  For  this  there  was  no  atone- 
ment. Whether  the  high-handed  transgressor  was 
homeborn  or  a  stranger,  he  was  to  be  utterly  cut  off 
as  a  blasphemer  ;  his  iniquity  rested  upon  him.     The 

^  See  Keil  and  Delitzsch  in  loco. 


1 86  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


distinction  is  morally  sound ;  and  the  punishment  of 
the  rebel  against  authority — apparently  nothing  less 
than  death,  or  perhaps,  if  he  has  fled  the  land,  out- 
lawry— is  such  as  the  theocratic  idea  obviously  required. 
It  was  Jehovah  Himself  who  was  defied.  A  man  who, 
as  it  were,  shook  his  fist  in  rebellion  against  God  had 
no  right  to  live  in  His  world,  under  the  protection  ot 
His  beneficent  laws. 

The  distinction  between  unwitting  neglect  and  open 
rejection  runs  through  the  whole  range  of  duty,  natural, 
Hebrew,  Christian.  What  a  man  knows  to  be  right 
he  has  before  him  as  a  Divine  law  of  moral  conduct. 
By  the  highest  obligations,  under  which  he  lies  to  the 
Lord  of  conscience,  to  his  fellow-men,  and  to  himself, 
he  is  bound  to  obey.  Judaism  added  the  authority  of 
revelation— the  Mosaic  law,  the  prophetic  word.  Chris- 
tianity still  further  adds  the  authority  of  the  word 
spoken  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  obligation  imposed 
by  His  death  as  the  manifestation  of  eternal  love.  In 
proportion  as  the  Divine  will  is  made  clear,  and  the  law 
enforced  by  revelation  and  grace,  the  sin  of  rejection 
becomes  greater  and  more  blasphemous.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  th^  unwitting  transgressor,  be  he  heathen 
or  imperfectly  instructed  Christian,  has  under  the  new 
covenant,  in  which  raercy  and  justice  go  hand  in  hand, 
no  less  consideration  than  the  Hebrew  who  uninten- 
tionally erred.  There  is  no  law  that  cuts  him  off*  from 
his  people.  Wide  as  this  principle  may  reach,  it-  must 
be  that  according  to  which  men  are  judged.  Many, 
knowing  the  invisible  things  of  God  "  through  the 
things  that  are  made,"  are  without  excuse.  They 
"  hold  down  the  truth  in  unrighteousness  " ;  they  are 
high-handed  transgressors.  But  others  who  have  no 
knowledge  of  the  Divine  law,  and  break  it  unwittingly, 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:   SABBATH-KEEPING :   DRESS         1S7 

have  their  atonement :  God  provides  it.  Nor  are  we 
to  impeach  Divine  Providence  by  judging  before  the 
time. 

It  may  be  asked,  Why,  since  defiant  rejection  of 
Christian  law  is  more  blasphemous  than  high-handed 
breach  of  the  old  Hebrew  law,  the  providence  of  God 
does  not  punish  it  ?  If  any  one  with  Christ  and  His 
cross  in  view  is  guilty  of  injustice,  or  of  hatred  which 
is  murder,  does  he  not  prove  himself  unworthy  to  live 
in  God's  world  ?  And  why,  then,  does  he  not  suffer 
at  once  the  doom  of  his  rebellion?  The  theory  of 
some  stern  moralists  has  been  that  human  government 
should  administer  the  justice  of  Heaven  and  cut  off  the 
unbeliever.  In  many  a  notable  case  this  has  been 
done,  and  has  caused  a  righteous  horror  which  continues 
to  be  felt.  But  although  men  cannot  safely  undertake 
the  punishment  of  such  offenders,  why  does  not  God  ? 
Christ  boldly  stated  that  here  and  now  this  is  not  the 
method  of  the  Divine  government,  but  that  men  enjoy 
the  Father's  mercy  even  when  they  are  unjust,  unthank- 
ful, and  evil.  Yet  He  spoke  of  judgment  universal — 
judgment  and  retribution  that  shall  not  miss  a  single 
sinner,  a  single  secret  sin.  And  His  view  of  the 
theocracy  clearly  is  that  meanwhile  God  by  mercy  to 
the  defiant  desires  to  train  men  in  mercy,  by  forbear- 
ance towards  the  unthankful  and  evil  commends  to  us 
like  patience  and  endurance.  Transgressors  are  to  have 
their  full  opportunity  of  repentance,  to  which  the  very 
goodness  of  God  calls  them.  But  justice  which  delays  is 
not  unobservant.  Though  He  who  reigns  moves  slowly 
to  His  end.  He  will  not  fail  to  reach  it.  "He  hath 
appointed  a  day  in  the  which  He  will  judge  the  world 
in  righteousness."  As  for  human  law,  its  sphere  is 
fixed.     Society  must  protect  itself  against  crime,   and 


1 88  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


is  to  do  so  in  the  name  of  God,  in  conformity  with 
the  eternal  principles  of  righteousness.  The  Hebrew- 
temper  may  seem  to  have  carried  this  principle  into  a 
range  that  was  perilous  to  enter,  as  in  the  instance 
immediately  to  be  considered  ;  yet  the  protection  of 
society  was  even  then  the  immediate  motive,  not  vain 
jealousy  for  the  honour  of  God.  For  ourselves,  we 
have  a  duty  which  must  be  done  without  assumption 
or  hypocrisy. 

The  various  subjects  of  thought  suggested  here 
should  be  followed  out.  For  us,  they  are  complicated 
on  the  social  as  well  as  the  religious  side  by  certain 
theories  that  are  in  vogue.  The  duty  of  civil  govern- 
ment, for  example,  is  on  one  side  extended  beyond 
its  proper  range  by  the  attempt  to  give  it  authority  in 
the  domain  of  religious  truth ;  on  the  other  hand  it  is 
unduly  restricted  by  toleration  of  what  is  against  the 
well-being  of  society.  The  Christian  moralist  has 
much  to  ponder  in  relation  to  popular  opinions  and  the 
trend  of  modern  legislation. 

2.  The  Sabbath-breaker. — If  the  actual  sequence 
of  events  is  followed  in  the  narrative  of  Numbers,  it 
must  have  been  after  the  condemnation  of  the  adult 
Israelites  that  judgment  of  the  man  who  was  found 
infringing  the  Sabbath  law  had  to  be  executed ;  and 
some  who  were  themselves  under  reprobation  took 
part  in  convicting  and  punishing  this  offender.  There 
is  a  difficulty  here  which  on  high  moral  grounds  it 
is  impossible  to  explain  away.  Disaffection  and  revolt 
had  brought  on  the  mass  of  the  people  the  sentence  of 
destruction ;  and  this  had  only  been  exchanged  on 
Moses'  intercession  for  the  forty  years  of  wandering. 
Should  not  sins  that  were  visited  with  this  penalty  have 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:   SABBATH-KEEPING:   DRESS 


excluded  all  who  were  guilty  of  them  from  any  judicial 
act  ?  But  the  same  objection  would,  if  admitted, 
prevent  all  of  us  from  taking  part  in  the  execution  of 
law.  Neither  the  judge  nor  the  jury,  neither  those 
who  legislate  nor  those  who  administer  law,  are  free 
from  moral  fault.  The  whole  system  dealing  with 
crime  has  this  defect ;  and  Israel  in  the  wilderness  was 
as  much  entitled  as  modern  society  to  take  in  hand 
the  correction  of  offenders,  the  maintenance  of  public 
well-being. 

The  law  which  had  been  broken  was  one  specially 
connected  with  duty  to  God.  Sabbath-keeping  might 
indeed  seem  to  belong  to  worship  rather  than  to  social 
morality.  The  seventh  day  was  the  Sabbath  of 
Jehovah.  It  was  to  be  kept  holy  to  Him,  made  a 
delight  for  His  sake.  The  statute  regarding  it  belonged 
to  the  first  table  of  the  Decalogue.  Still,  the  command- 
ment had  a  social  as  well  as  a  religious  side.  In  good- 
will to  men  Jehovah  required  the  day  to  be  kept  holy 
to  Him.  Had  one  and  another  like  this  offender  been 
allowed  to  set  aside  the  fourth  commandment,  the 
interests  of  the  whole  congregation  would  soon  have 
suffered.  It  was  for  the  good  of  the  race,  physically 
as  well  as  intellectually  and  spiritually,  the  Sabbath 
was  to  be  kept.  Those  who  guarded  the  sanctity  of 
the  Sabbath  were  guarding  not  the  honour  of  God 
alone,  though  they  may  have  thought  that  the  chief 
merit  of  their  watchfulness,  but  the  interests  of  the 
people,  a  precious  heritage  of  the  nation. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  maintain  that  judgment  was 
given  by  Moses  solely  on  the  ground  that  the  man  who 
gathered  sticks  on  the  Sabbath  was  an  offender  against 
the  public  well-being.  The  thought  of  Jehovah's 
''jealousy"    was    constantly    kept    before, the  mind  of 


I90  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Israel,  for  by  that  idea,  better  than  any  other,  bene- 
ficent legislation  was  supported  in  a  rude  age ;  and 
judgment  no  doubt  rested  mainly  on  this.  Yet  the 
interference  of  the  people  and  their  share  in  the 
execution  of  punishment  are  to  be  justified  by  the 
undoubted  fact  that  Israel  could  not  afford  to  let 
the  Sabbath  be  lost.  Even  those  who  were  to  a 
great  extent  earthly  could  perceive  this.  And  if  the 
punishment  seems  disproportionate,  we  must  remember 
that  it  was  the  presumptuous  temper  of  the  man 
rather  than  his  actual  fault  that  was  judged  criminal. 
St.  James  said,  no  doubt  from  this  point  of  view, 
'^  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend 
in  one  point,  he  is  become  guilty  of  all."  The  criminal 
act  was  that  of  breaking  down,  with  daring  hand,  the 
safeguard  of  social  and  religious  prosperity. 

And  there  is  a  sense  in  which  without  Pharisaism 
those  who  are  concerned  for  the  public  well-being  may 
still  insist  on  the  strict  enforcement  of  the  laws  that 
guard  the  day  of  rest.  Though  all  days  are  alike 
sacred  to  spiritually  minded  persons,  yet  bodily  health 
and  mental  soundness  are  bound  up  more  than  men  in 
general  know  with  the  Sabbatic  interval  between  labour 
and  labour.  The  Puritanism  often  scoffed  at  is  far 
more  philanthropic  than  the  humanitarianism,  so-called, 
which  derides  it.  And  when  any  one  enforces  the  duty 
of  Sabbath-keeping  by  insisting  on  God's  claim  to  the 
seventh  day,  his  belief  is  no  superstition.  Convict  him 
first  of  advocating  what  is  against  the  good  of  men, 
irrational,  absurd,  before  venturing  to  call  him  super- 
stitious. If  what  is  advanced  as  a  claim  of  God  can 
be  proved  to  be  really  for  the  good  of  men,  it  is  a  virtue 
to  insist  that  for  God's  sake  as  well  as  the  sake  of  men 
it  should    be   rendered.     There  were   persons    in  our 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:   SABBATH-KEEPING:   DRESS  191 


Lord's  time  who  made  Sabbath-keeping  a  superstition. 
Against  them  He  testified.  But  it  is  in  His  name  who 
was  the  great  Friend  of  men  the  Sabbath  law  is  now 
insisted  on ;  and  the  day  of  rest  has  all  the  higher 
sanction  that  it  commemorates  His  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  His  promise  of  that  new  life  which  relief 
from  labour  enables  us  to  pursue. 

The  institution  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  scrupulous 
observance  of  it  were,  for  Israel,  and  are  still  for  all 
believers  in  Divine  religion,  most  important  means  of 
maintaining  unity  in  the  faith.  Now  that  many  causes 
interfere  with  the  simultaneous  exhibition  of  regard  for 
other  symbols  of  Christian  belief,  the  day  of  rest  and 
worship  gives  a  universal  opportunity  which  it  would 
be  fatal  to  neglect.  It  has  the  advantage  of  beginning 
to  claim  men  on  the  ground  where  religion  first  appeals 
to  them,  that  of  God's  care  for  their  temporal  well-being. 
Those  with  whom  religious  feeling  is  quite  elementary 
must  see  that  a  boon  of  incalculable  value  is  offered  in 
this  recurring  refreshment  to  the  wearied  body  and 
strained  mind.  And  with  progress  in  religious  culture 
the  benefit  of  the  day  of  rest  is  found  to  advance.  The 
opportunities  of  worship,  of  religious  meditation  and 
service,  which  it  brings  will  be  esteemed  as  the  value 
of  Christian  fellowship,  the  importance  of  Christian 
knowledge,  and  the  duty  of  Christian  endeavour  are 
successively  understood.  On  all  these  grounds  the 
Sabbath,  or  Lord's  Day,  is  for  modern  religion,  as  for 
that  of  the  old  covenant,  a  great  declaration,  a  means 
of  'unity  and  development  which  the  spiritual  will 
earnestly  uphold.  Let  it  fail,  and  distinction  between 
religious  and  non-religious  will  be  without  a  sign. 
No  doubt  the  reality  is  more  by  far  than  the  symbol. 
Yet  fellowship,  for  which  in  many  cases  the  Sabbath 


192  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

alone  gives  opportunity,  is  far  more  than  a  symbol ; 
and  unity  requires  an  outward  manifestation.  Nothing 
could  be  more  perilous  to  the  religious  life  of  our  people 
than  the  tendency,  shown  by  many  who  profess  Chris- 
tianity and  sanctioned  by  some  of  its  teachers,  to  make 
the  Sabbath  a  day  of  self-pleasing,  of  mere  individualism, 
and  incoherent  secularity. 

3.  The  Memorial  Tassels. — The  unique  sumptuary 
law  with  which  the  chapter  closes  may  be  regarded  as 
a  sequence  of  the  Sabbath-breaker's  conviction.  That 
Israelites  might  never  be  without  a  reminder  of  their 
duty,  and  of  the  Divine  laws  they  were  scrupulously  to 
observe,  these  tassels  with  a  band  of  blue  were  to  be 
constantly  worn.  It  appears  to  us  singular  that  men 
should  be  expected  to  pay  heed  to  such  mementoes  as 
these.  We  are  apt  to  say,  If  the  laws  of  God  were  not 
in  their  hearts,  the  zizith  would  scarcely  make  them 
more  attentive  ;  and  if  they  had  the  laws  in  their  hearts, 
they  would  need  no  memorials  of  obligation.  But  the 
ornament  was  something  more  than  a  reminder  of  duty. 
It  was  a  badge  of  honour,  and  became  more  so  as  the 
Israelites  understood  their  high  position  among  the 
peoples.  The  zizith  would  be  like  an  order,  a  mark  of 
rank  ;  or  like  the  uniform  of  his  regiment  which  to  the 
good  soldier  recalls  its  history.  The  Hebrew  would 
have  to  live  up  to  his  duty  as  signified  by  these 
attachments  of  his  dress. 

And  Israelites  were  to  be  distinguished  by  the  zizith 
from  those  who  were  of  other  races,  not  under  law  to 
Jehovah.  Every  man  who  wore  this  badge  would  be 
able  to  count  on  the  sympathy  of  every  other  Israelite.  > 
The  symbol  became  a  means  of  rousing  the  esprit  of  the 
nation,  and  binding  it  together  in  a  zealous  fraternity. 


XV.]         OFFERINGS:   SABBATH-KEEPING :   DRESS  193 

The  nature  of  the  badge  appears  to  us  pecuhar ;  but 
the  value  of  it  cannot  be  denied.  The  modern  peoples, 
far  as  they  have  travelled  from  the  old  ways  of  the 
Hebrews,  retain  the  use  of  symbolic  dress,  the  liking 
for  ornaments,  by  which  a  man's  life  may  be  known. 

The  name  zizith  is  derived  from  a  word  meaning 
blossom.  The  tassel  was  formed  of  twisted  threads 
bound  by  a  cord  or  ribbon  of  blue  to  the  garment. 
It  was  the  blossom  of  the  robe,  so  to  speak,  hanging 
by  a  blue  stem.  The  ornament  is  again  mentioned  in 
Deut.  xxii.  12,  where  it  has  another  name,  gedilim, 
enlargements.  With  extraordinary  pride  the  Jews  of 
our  own  time  still  wear  the  talith,  which  is  a  fantastical 
development  of  the  zizith  of  Numbers.  "  The  rabbins 
observe  that  each  string  consisted  of  eight  threads, 
which,  with  the  number  of  knots  and  the  numerical 
value  of  the  letters  in  the  word,  make  613,  which, 
according  to  them,  is  the  exact  number  of  the  precepts 
in  the  law."  The  Pharisees  in  Christ's  time  enlarged 
their  phylacteries,  displaying  superfluously  the  proofs 
of  their  Hebrew  orthodoxy  and  zeal.  It  is  the  danger 
of  all  symbols.  In  the  youth  of  a  people  they  have 
meaning;  they  express  fact,  they  give  honour.  The 
Israelite  wearing  his  felt  himself  reminded,  put  on  his 
honour,  not  to  go  about  ^'  according  to  his  own  heart 
and  his  own  eyes  by  which  he  used  to  go  a-whoring." 
But  afterwards  the  zeal  became  that  of  pride,  the  symbol 
a  mere  amulet  or  a  token  of  self-sufficiency.  The  Jew 
of  to-day  is  partly  kept  separate  by  his  talith,  and 
because  he  wears  it,  feels  himself  in  touch  with  the 
fathers  and  heroes  and  prophets  of  his  people.  But 
he  also  feels,  what  is  not  always  good,  his  remoteness 
from  heathen  and  Christian  "  dogs." 

And    Christian    symbols,    the    few    sanctioned    by 

13 


194  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

Scripture,  the  others  that  have  crept  into  use  in  the 
course  of  history,  bring  with  their  use  a  similar  danger. 
In  many  cases  they  are  signs  of  privilege  rather  than 
memorials  of  duty.  They  minister  to  pride,  rather 
than  stimulate  zeal  in  the  service  of  God  and  men. 
The  crucifix  itself,  with  consummate  superstition,  is 
worn  and  kissed  as  a  talisman. 


XIV 

KORAH,    DATHAN,    AND    ABIRAM 
Numbers  xvi,,  xvii 

BEHIND  what  appears  in  the  history,  there  must 
have    been    many    movements    of    thought    and 
causes  of  discontent  which  gradually  led  to  the  events 
we  now  consider.     Of  the  revolts  against  Moses  which 
occurred  in  the  wilderness,  this  was  the  most  widely 
organised  and  involved  the  most  serious  danger.     But 
we  can  only  conjecture  in  what  way  it  arose,  how  it  was 
related  to  previous  incidents  and  tendencies  of  popular 
feehng.     It   is   difficult    to    understand    the    report,   in 
which   Korah  appears   at  one  time   closely   associated 
v/ith  Dathan   and  Abiram,  at  other  times  quite  apart 
from  them  as  a   leader  of  disaffection.     According  to 
Wellhausen  and  others,  three  narratives  are  combined 
in    the   text.     But  without   going    so   far  in    the    way 
of  analysis  we  clearly  trace  two  Hues  of  revolt :  one 
against  Moses  as  leader ;  the  other  against  the  Aaronic 
priesthood.     The  two  risings  may  have  been  distinct  ; 
we  shall  however  deal  with  them  as  simultaneous  and 
more    or   less    combined.       A   great    deal    is    left    un- 
explained,  and  we  must  be  guided  by  the  belief  that 
the  narrative  of  the  whole  book  has  a  certain  coherency, 
and  that  facts  previously  recorded  must  have  had  their 
bearing  on  those  now  to  be  examined. 

195 


196  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

The  principal  leader  of  revolt  was  Korah,  son  of 
Izhar,  a  Levite  of  the  family  of  Kohath ;  and  with  him 
were  associated  two  hundred  and  fifty  ''  princes  of  the 
congregation,  called  to  the  assembly,  men  of  renown," 
some  of  them  presumably  belonging  to  each  of  the 
tribes  as  is  shown  incidentally  in  xxvii.  3.  The  com- 
plaint of  this  company — evidently  representing  an 
opinion  widely  held,  was  that  Moses  and  Aaron  took 
too  much  upon  them  in  reserving  to  themselves  the 
whole  arrangement  and  control  of  the  ritual.  The  two 
hundred  and  fifty,  who  according  to  the  law  had  no 
right  to  use  censers,  were  so  far  in  opposition  to  the 
Aaronic  priesthood  that  they  were  provided  with  the 
means  of  offering  incense.  They  claimed  for  them- 
selves on  behalf  of  the  whole  congregation,  whom  they 
declared  to  be  holy,  the  highest  function  of  priests. 
With  Korah  were  specially  identified  a  number  of 
Levites  who,  not  content  with  being  separated  to  do 
the  service  of  the  tabernacle,  demanded  the  higher 
sacerdotal  office.  It  might  seem  from  vv.  lO,  li,  that 
all  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  were  Levites  ;  but  this  is 
precluded  by  the  earlier  statement  that  they  were 
princes  of  the  congregation,  called  to  the  assembly. 
So  far  as  we  can  gather,  the  tribe  of  Levi  did  not 
supply  princes,  "  men  of  renown,"  in  this  sense. 
While  Moses  deals  with  Korah  and  his  company, 
Dathan,  Abiram,  and  On,  who  belong  to  the  tribe  of 
Reuben,  stand  in  the  background  with  their  grievance. 
Invited  to  state  it,  they  complain  that  Moses  has  not 
only  brought  the  congregation  out  of  a  land  ''flowing 
with  milk  and  honey,"  to  kill  them  in  the  wilderness, 
failing  to  give  them  the  inheritance  he  promised  ;  but 
he  has  made  himself  a  prince  over  the  host,  determin- 
ing  everything  without  consulting   the    heads    of  the 


xvi.,  xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND  ABIRAM  197 

tribes.  They  ask  if  he  means  ''  to  put  out  the  eyes 
of  these  men," — that  is,  to  blind  them  to  the  real  pur- 
pose he  has  in  view,  whatever  it  is,  or  to  make  them 
his  slaves  after  the  Babylonian  fashion,  by  actually 
boring  out  the  eyes  of  each  tenth  man,  perhaps.  The 
two  hundred  and  fifty  are  called  by  Moses  to  bring 
their  censers  and  the  incense  and  fire  they  have  been 
using,  that  Jehovah  may  signify  whether  He  chooses 
to  be  served  by  them  as  priests,  or  by  Aaron.  The 
offering  of  incense  over,  the  decree  against  the  whole 
host  as  concerned  in  this  revolt  is  made  known,  and 
Moses  intercedes  for  the  people.  Then  the  Voice  com- 
mands that  all  the  people  shall  separate  themselves 
from  the  "  tabernacle  "  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram, 
apparently  as  if  some  tent  of  worship  had  been  erected 
in  rivalry  of  the  true  tabernacle.  Dathan  and  Abiram 
are  not  at  the  *'  tabernacle,"  but  at  some  little  distance, 
in  tents  of  their  own.  The  people  remove  from  the 
''  tabernacle  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,"  and  on 
the  terrible  invocation  of  judgment  pronounced  by 
Moses,  the  ground  cleaves  asunder  and  all  the  men 
that  appertain  unto  Korah  go  down  alive  into  the  pit. 
Afterwards,  it  is  said,  "  fire  came  forth  from  the  Lord 
and  devoured  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  that 
offered  the  incense."  "The  men  that  appertained  unto 
Korah  "  ma}^  be  the  presumptuous  Levites,  most  closely 
identified  with  his  revolt.  But  the  two  hundred  and 
fifty  consumed  by  the  fire  are  not  said  to  have  been 
swallowed  by  the  cleaving  earth ;  their  censers  are 
taken  up  "  out  of  the  burning,"  as  devoted  or  sacred, 
and  beaten  into  plates  for  a  covering  of  the  altar. 

On  the  morrow  the  whole  congregation,  even  more 
disaffected  than  before,  is  in  a  state  of  tumult.  The  cry 
is  raised  that  Moses  and  Aaron  "  have  killed  the  people 


198  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  Jehovah."  Forthwith  a  plague,  the  sign  of  Divine 
anger,  breaks  out.  Atonement  is  made  by  Aaron,  who 
runs  quickly  with  his  burning  censer  "  into  the  midst  of 
the  assembly,"  and  *'  stands  between  the  dead  and  the 
living."  But  fourteen  thousand  seven  hundred  die 
before  the  plague  is  stayed.  And  the  position  of  Aaron 
as  the  acknowledged  priest  of  Jehovah  is  still  further 
confirmed.  Rods  or  twigs  are  taken,  one  for  each  tribe, 
all  the  tribes  having  been  implicated  in  the  revolt ;  and 
these  rods  are  laid  up  in  the  tent  of  meeting.  When 
a  day  has  passed,  the  rod  of  Aaron  for  the  tribe  of  Levi 
is  found  to  have  put  forth  buds  and  borne  almonds. 
The  close  of  the  whole  series  of  events  is  an  exclama- 
tion of  amazed  anxiety  by  all  the  people  :  **  Behold,  we 
perish,  we  are  undone,  we  are  all  undone.  Every  one 
that  cometh  near  unto  the  tabernacle  of  Jehovah  dieth  : 
shall  we  perish  all  of  us  ?  " 

Now  throughout  the  narrative,  although  other  issues 
are  involved,  there  can  be  no  question  that  the  main 
design  is  the  confirmation  of  the  Aaronic  priesthood. 
What  happened  conveyed  a  warning  of  most  extra- 
ordinary severity  against  any  attempt  to  interfere  with 
the  sacerdotal  order  as  established.  And  this  we  can 
understand.  But  it  becomes  a  question  why  a  revolt 
of  Reubenites  against  Moses  was  connected  with  that 
of  Korah  against  the  sole  priesthood  of  the  Aaronic 
house.  We  have  also  to  consider  how  it  came  about 
that  princes  out  of  all  the  tribes  were  to  be  found  pro- 
vided with  censers,  which  they  were  apparently  in  the 
habit  of  using  to  burn  incense  to  Jehovah.  There  is 
a  Levitical  revolt ;  there  is  an  assumption  by  men  in 
each  tribe  of  priestly  dignity  ;  and  there  is  a  protest  by 
men  representing  the  tribe  of  Reuben  against  the 
dictatorship    of    Moses.      In    what   way    might    these 


xvi.,xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND  ABIRAM  199 

different  movements  arise  and  combine  in  a  crisis  that 
almost  wrecked  the  fortunes  of  Israel  ? 

The    explanation    supplied    by   Wellhausen    on    the 
basis  of  his   main  theory   is  exceedingly  laboured,  at 
some  points  improbable,  at  others  defective.     According 
to  the  Jehovistic  tradition,  he  says,^  the  rebellion  pro- 
ceeds   from  the    Reubenites ,  and    is    directed    against 
Moses  as  leader  and  judge   of  the  people.     The  his- 
torical basis  of  this  is  dimly  discerned  to  be  the  fall  of 
Reuben  from  its  old  place  at  the  head  of  the  brother 
tribes.     Out  of  this   story,   says  Wellhausen,  at  some 
time  or  other  not  specified,  **  when  the  people  of  the 
congregation,  i.e.y  of  the  Church,  have  once  come  on 
the  scene,"  there  arises  a  second  version.     The  author 
of  the  agitation  is  now  Korah,  a  prince  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah,  and  he  rebels  not  only  against  Moses  but  against 
Moses    and   Aaron    as    representing    the   priesthood. 
'*  The  jealousy  of  the  secular  grandees  is  now  directed 
against  the  class  of  hereditary  priests  instead  of  against 
the    extraordinary  influence    on    the    community   of  a 
heaven-sent    hero."     Then    there    is    a   third    addition 
which  "  belongs  likewise  to  the  Priestly  Code,  but  not 
to  its  original  contents."     In  this,  Korah  the  prince  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah  is  replaced  by  another  Korah,  head 
of  a  "  post-exilic   Levitical  family  " ;  and  "  the  contest 
between  clergy  and  aristocracy  is  transformed  into  a 
domestic  strifs  between  the  higher  and  inferior  clergy 
which  was  no  doubt  raging  in  the  time  of  the  narrator." 
All  this  is  supposed  to  be  a  natural  and  easy  explanation 
of  what  would  otherwise  be    an   *'  insoluble    enigma." 
We  ask,  however,  at  what  period  any  family  of  Judah 
would  be  likely  to  claim  the  priesthood,  and  at  what 

'  Prolegomena  to  the  "  History  of  Israel,"  p.  354. 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


post-exHic  period  there  was  "  no  doubt  "  a  strife  between 
the  higher  and  inferior  clergy.  Nor  is  there  any 
account  here  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  princes  of 
the  congregation,  with  their  partially  developed  ritual 
antagonistic  to  that  of  the  tabernacle. 

We  have  seen  that  according  to  the  narrative  of 
Numbers  seventy  elders  of  the  tribes  were  appointed 
to  aid  Moses  in  bearing  the  heavy  burden  of  adminis- 
tration, and  were  endowed  with  the  gift  of  prophec}'' 
that  they  might  the  more  impressively  wield  authority 
in  the  host.  In  the  first  instance,  these  men  might  be 
zealous  helpers  of  Moses,  but  they  proved,  like  the 
rest,  angry  critics  of  his  leadership  when  the  spies 
returned  with  their  evil  report.  They  were  included 
with  the  other  men  of  the  tribes  in  the  doom  of  the 
forty  years'  wandering,  and  might  easily  become 
movers  of  sedition.  When  the  ark  was  stationed 
permanently  at  Kadesh,  and  the  tribes  spread  them- 
selves after  the  manner  of  shepherds  over  a  wide  range 
of  the  surrounding  district,  we  can  easily  see  that  the 
authority  of  the  seventy  would  increase  in  proportion 
to  the  need  for  direction  felt  in  the  different  groups  to 
which  they  belonged.  Many  of  the  scattered  companies 
too  were  so  far  from  the  tabernacle  that  they  might 
desire  a  worship  of  their  own,  and  the  original  priestly 
function  of  the  heads  of  tribes,  if  it  had  lapsed,  might 
in  this  way  be  revived.  Although  there  were  no  altars, 
yet  with  censers  and  incense  one  of  the  highest  rites 
of  worship  might  be  observed. 

Again,  the  period  of  inaction  must  have  been  galling 
to  many  who  conceived  themselves  quite  capable  of 
making  a  successful  assault  on  the  inhabitants  of 
Canaan,  or  otherwise  securing  a  settled  place  of  abode 
for  Israel.     And   the  tribe  of  Reuben,  first   by  birth- 


xvi.,xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND   ABIRAM  201 

right,  and  apparently  one  of  the  strongest,  would  take 
the  lead  in  a  movement  to  set  aside  the  authority  of 
Moses.  We  have  also  to  keep  in  mind  that  though 
Moses  had  pressed  the  Kenizzites  to  join  the  march  and 
relied  on  their  fidelity,  the  presence  in  the  camp  of 
one  like  Hobab,  who  was  an  equal  not  a  vassal  of 
Moses,  must  have  been  a  continual  incentive  to  dis- 
affection. He  and  his  troops  had  their  own  notions, 
we  may  believe,  as  to  the  delay  of  forty  years,  and 
would  very  likely  deny  its  necessity.  They  would  also 
have  their  own  cultus,  and  religiously,  as  well  as  in 
other  ways,  show  an  independence  which  encouraged 
revolt. 

Once  more,  as  to  the  Levites,  it  might  seem  unfair 
to  them  that  Aaron  and  his  two  sons  should  have  a 
position  so  much  higher  than  theirs.  They  had  to 
do  many  offices  in  connection  with  sacrifice,  and  other 
parts  of  the  holy  service.  On  them,  indeed,  fell  the 
burden  of  the  duties,  and  the  ambitious  might  expect 
to  force  their  way  into  the  higher  office  of  the  priest- 
hood, at  a  time  when  rebellion  against  authority  was 
coming  to  a  head.  We  may  suppose  that  Korah  and 
his  company  of  Levites,  acting  partly  for  themselves, 
partly  in  concert  with  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  who 
had  already  assumed  the  right  to  burn  incense,  agreed 
to  make  their  demand  in  the  first  instance,  that  as 
Levites  they  should  be  admitted  priests.  This  would 
prepare  the  way  for  the  princes  of  the  tribes  to  claim 
sacerdotal  rights  according  to  the  old  clan  idea.  And 
at  the  same  time,  the  priority  of  Reuben  would  be 
another  point,  insistence  upon  which  would  strike  at 
the  power  of  Moses.  If  the  princes  of  Reuben  had 
gone  so  far  as  to  erect  a  ''tabernacle  "  or  mishcan  for 
their  worship,   that   may  have  been,  for  the  occasion, 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


made  the  headquarters,  of  revolt,  perhaps  because 
Reuben  happened  at  the  time  to  be  nearest  the  encamp- 
ment of  the  Levites. 

A  widespread  rebelHon,  an  organised  rebellion,  not 
homogeneous,  but  with  many  elements  in  it  tending 
to  utter  confusion,  is  what  we  see.  Suppose  it  to 
have  succeeded,  the  unity  of  worship  would  have  been 
destroyed  completely.  Each  tribe  with  its  own  cultus 
would  have  gone  its  own  way  so  far  as  religion  was 
concerned.  In  a  very  short  time  there  would  have 
been  as  many  debased  cults  as  there  were  wandering 
companies.  Then  the  claim  of  autonomy,  if  not  of 
right  to  lead  the  tribes,  made  on  behalf  of  Reuben, 
involved  a  further  danger.  Moses  had  not  only  the 
sagacity  but  the  inspiration  which  ought  to  have  com- 
manded obedience.  The  princes  of  Reuben  had  neither. 
Whether  all  under  the  lead  of  Reuben  or  each  tribe 
led  by  its  own  princes,  the  Israelites  would  have 
travelled  to  disaster.  Futile  attempts  at  conquest,  strife 
or  alliance  with  neighbouring  peoples,  internal  dissen- 
sion, would  have  worn  the  tribes  piecemeal  away. 
The  dictatorship  of  Moses,  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  and 
the  unity  of  worship  stood  or  fell  together.  One  of 
the  three  removed,  the  others  would  have  given  way. 
But  the  revolutionary  spirit,  springing  out  of  ambition 
and  a  disaffection  for  which  there  was  no  excuse,  was 
blind  to  consequences.  And  the  stern  suppression  of 
this  revolt,  at  whatever  cost,  was  absolutely  needful  if 
there  was  to  be  any  future  for  Israel. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  we  have  in  this  rebellion 
of  Korah  the  first  example  of  ecclesiastical  dissension, 
and  that  the  punishment  is  a  warning  to  all  who  pre- 
sumptuously intrude  into  the  priestly  office.  Laymen 
take  the  censer ;  and  the  fire  of  the  Lord  burns  them 


xvi.,xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND  ABIRAM  203 

up.  So,  let  not  laymen,  at  any  time  in  the  Church's 
history,  venture  to  touch  the  sacred  mysteries.  If 
ritual  and  sacramentarian  miracle  were  the  heart  of 
religion ;  if  there  could  be  no  worship  of  God  and  no 
salvation  for  men  now  unless  through  a  consecrated 
priesthood,  this  might  be  said.  But  the  old  covenant, 
with  its  symbols  and  shadows,  has  been  superseded. 
We  have  another  centre  now,  another  tabernacle, 
another  way  which  has  been  consecrated  for  ever  by 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  a  way  into  the  hoHest  of  all  open 
to  every  believer.  Our  unity  does  not  depend  on  the 
priesthood  of  men,  but  on  the  universal  and  eternal 
priesthood  of  Christ.  The  co-operation  of  Aaron  as 
priest  was  needful  to  Moses,  not  that  his  power  might 
be  maintained  for  his  own  sake,  but  that  he  might  have 
authority  over  the  host  for  Israel's  sake.  It  was  not 
the  dignity  of  an  order  or  of  a  man  that  was  at  stake, 
but  the  very  existence  of  religion  and  of  the  nation. 
This  bond  snapped  at  any  point,  the  tribes  would  have 
been  scattered  and  lost. 

A  leader  of  men  standing  above  them  for  their 
temporal  interests  can  rarely  take  upon  him  to  be  the 
instrument  of  administering  the  penalty  of  their  sins. 
What  king,  for  instance,  ever  invoked  an  interdict  on 
his  own  people,  or  in  his  own  right  of  judging  for  God 
condemned  them  to  pay  a  tax  to  the  Church,  because 
they  had  done  what  was  morally  wrong?  Rulers 
generally  have  regarded  disobedience  to  themselves 
as  the  only  crime  it  was  worth  their  while  to  punish. 
When  Moses  stood  against  the  faithless  spirit  of  the 
Israelites  and  issued  orders  by  way  of  punishing  that 
bad  spirit,  he  certainly  put  his  authority  to  a  tremendous 
test.  Without  a  sure  ground  of  confidence  in  Divine 
support,  he  would  have  been  foolhardy  in  the  extreme. 


204  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

And  we  are  not  surprised  that  the  coahtion  against 
him  represented  many  causes  of  discontent.  Under 
his  administration  the  long  sojourn  in  the  desert  had 
been  decreed,  and  a  whole  generation  deprived  of  what 
they  held  their  right — a  settlement  in  Canaan.  He 
appeared  to  be  tyrannising  over  the  tribes ;  and  proud 
Reubenites  sought  to  put  an  end  to  his  rule.  The 
priesthood  was  his  creation,  and  seemed  to  be  made 
exclusive  simply  that  through  Aaron  he  might  have  a 
firmer  hold  of  the  people's  liberties.  Why  was  the 
old  prerogative  of  the  headmen  in  religious  matters 
taken  from  them?  They  would  reclaim  their  rights. 
Neither  Levi  nor  Reuben  should  be  denied  its  priestly 
autonomy  any  longer.  In  the  whole  rebellion  there 
was  one  spirit,  but  there  were  also  divided  counsels ; 
and  Moses  showed  his  wisdom  by  taking  the  revolt 
not  as  a  single  movement,  but  part  by  part. 

First  he  met  the  Levites,  with  Korah  at  their  head, 
professing  great  zeal  for  the  principle  that  all  the 
congregation  were  holy,  every  one  of  them.  A  claim 
made  on  that  ground  could  not  be  disproved  by 
argument,  perhaps,  although  the  holiness  of  the  con- 
gregation was  evidently  an  ideal,  not  a  fact.  Jehovah 
Himself  would  have  to  decide.  Yet  Moses  remonstrated 
in  a  way  that  was  fitted  to  move  the  Levites,  and 
perhaps  did  touch  some  of  them.  They  had  been 
honoured  by  God  in  having  a  certain  holy  office 
assigned  to  them.  Were  they  to  renounce  it  in  join- 
ing a  revolt  which  would  make  the  very  priesthood 
they  desired  common  to  all  the  tribes  ?  From  Jehovah 
Himself  the  Levites  had  their  commission.  It  was 
against  Jehovah  they  were  fighting ;  and  how  could 
they  speed  ?  They  spoke  of  Aaron  and  his  dignity- 
But  what  was  Aaron  ?     Only  a  servant  of  God  and  of 


xvi.,  xvii.]       KORAH,    DATIIAN,   AND  ABIRAM  205 

the  people,  a  man  who  personally  assumed  no  great 
airs.  By  this  appeal  some  would  seem  to  have 
been  detached  from  the  rebellion,  for  in  xxvi.  9-1 1, 
when  the  judgment  of  Korah  and  his  company  is 
referred  to,  it  is  added,  "  Notwithstanding  the  children 
of  Korah  died  not."  From  i  Chron.  vi.  we  learn  that 
in  the  line  of  Korah's  descendants  appeared  certain 
makers  and  leaders  of  sacred  song,  Heman  among 
them,  one  of  David's  singers,  to  whom  Psalm  Ixxxviii. 
is  ascribed. 

With  the  Reubenites  Moses  deals  in  the  next  place, 
taking  their  cause  of  discontent  by  itself  Already 
one  of  the  three  Reubenite  chiefs  had  withdrawn,  and 
Dathan  and  Abiram  stood  by  themselves.  Refusing 
to  obey  the  call  of  Moses  to  a  conference,  they  stated 
their  grievance  roughly  by  the  mouth  of  a  messenger ; 
and  Moses  could  only  with  indignation  express  before 
God  his  blamelessness  in  regard  to  them :  *'  I  have 
not  taken  one  ass  from  them,  neither  have  I  hurt  one 
of  them."  Neither  for  his  own  enrichment,  nor  in 
personal  ambition  had  he  acted.  Could  they  maintain, 
did  the  people  think,  that  the  present  revolt  was 
equally  disinterested  ?  Under  cover  of  opposition  to 
tyranny,  are  they  not  desiring  to  play  the  part  of 
tyrants  and  aggrandise  themselves  at  the  expense  of 
the  people  ? 

It  is  singular  that  not  a  word  is  said  in  special 
condemnation  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  because 
they  were  in  possession  of  censers  and  incense.  May 
it  be  the  case  that  the  complete  reservation  of  the 
high-priestly  duties  to  the  house  of  Aaron  had  not  as 
yet  taken  effect,  that  it  was  a  purpose  rather  than  a 
fact  ?  May  it  not  further  be  the  case  that  the  rebellion 
partly  took    form  and  ripened  because  an   order  had 


2o6  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

been  given  withdrawing  the  use  of  censers  from  the 
headmen  of  the  tribes  ?  If  there  had  as  yet  been  a 
certain  temporary  allowance  of  the  tribal  priesthood 
and  ritual,  we  should  not  have  to  ask  how  incense  and 
censers  were  in  the  hands  of  the  two  hundred  and  fifty, 
and  why  the  brass  of  their  vessels  was  held  to  be 
sacred  and  put  to  holy  use. 

The  prayer  of  Moses  in  which  he  interceded  for  the 
people,  ver.  22,  is  marked  by  an  expression  of  singular 
breadth,  "O  God,  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  fiesh." 
The  men,  misled  on  the  fleshly  side  by  appetite  (ver.  1 3), 
and  shrinking  from  pain,  were  against  God.  But  their 
spirits  were  in  His  hand.  Would  He  not  move  their 
spirits,  redeem  and  save  them  ?  Would  He  not  look 
on  the  hearts  of  all  and  distinguish  the  guilty  from 
the  innocent,  the  more  rebellious  from  the  less  ?  One 
man  had  sinned,  but  would  God  burst  out  on  the 
whole  congregation  ?  The  form  of  the  intercession 
is  abrupt,  crude.  Even  Moses  with  all  his  justice  and 
all  his  pity  could  not  be  more  just,  more  compassionate, 
than  Jehovah.  The  purpose  of  destruction  was  not  as 
the  leader  thought  it  to  be. 

Regarding  the  judgments,  that  of  the  earthquake  and 
that  of  the  fire,  we  are  too  remote  in  time  to  form  any 
proper  conception  of  what  they  were,  how  they  were 
inflicted.  *'  Moses,"  says  Lange,  "  appears  as  a  man 
whose  wonderful  presentiment  becomes  a  miraculous 
prophecy  by  the  Spirit  of  revelation."  But  this  is  not 
sufficient.  There  was  more  than  a  presentiment. 
Moses  knew  what  was  coming,  knew  that  where  the 
rebels  stood  the  earth  would  open,  the  consuming  fire 
burn.  The  plague,  on  the  other  hand,  which  next  day 
spread  rapidly  among  the  excited  people  and  threatened 
to   destroy   them,    was    not    foreseen.     It  came    as   if 


xvi.,  xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND  ABIRAM  207 

straight  from  the  hand  of  Divine  wrath.  But  it  afforded 
an  opportunity  for  Aaron  to  prove  his  power  with 
God  and  his  courage.  Carrying  the  sacred  fire  into 
the  midst  of  the  infected  people  he  became  the  means 
of  their  deliverance.  As  he  waved  his  censer,  and  its 
fumes  went  up  to  heaven,  faith  in  Jehovah  and  in 
Aaron  as  the  true  priest  of  Jehovah  was  revived  in  the 
hearts  of  men.  Their  spirits  came  again  under  the 
healing  power  of  that  symbolism  which  had  lost  its 
virtue  in  common  use,  and  was  now  associated  in  a 
grave  crisis  with  an  appeal  to  Him  who  smites  and 
heals,  who  kills  and  makes  alive. 

It  has  been  maintained  by  some  that  the  closing 
sentences  of  chap.  xvii.  should  follow  chap.  xvi.  with 
which  they  appear  to  be  closely  connected,  the  incident 
of  the  budding  of  Aaron's  rod  seeming  to  call  rather  for 
a  festal  celebration  than  a  lament.  The  theory  of  the 
Book  of  Numbers  we  have  seen  reason  to  adopt  would 
account  for  the  introduction  of  the  fresh  episode,  simply 
because  it  relates  to  the  priesthood  and  tends  to  con- 
firm the  Aaronites  in  exclusive  dignity.  The  symbolic 
test  of  the  claim  raised  by  the  tribes  corresponds 
closely  to  the  signs  that  were  used  by  some  of  the 
prophets,  such  as  the  girdle  laid  up  by  the  river 
Euphrates,  and  the  basket  of  summer  fruits.  The  rod 
on  which  Aaron's  name  was  written  was  of  almond,  a 
tree  for  which  Syria  was  famous.  Like  the  sloe  it 
sends  forth  blossoms  before  the  leaves ;  and  the  unique 
way  in  which  this  twig  showed  its  living  vigour  as 
compared  with  the  others  was  a  token  of  the  choice 
of  Levi  to  serve  and  Aaron  to  minister  in  the  holiest 
office  before  Jehovah. 

The  whole  circumstances,  and  the  closing  cry  of  the 
people,  leave  the  impression  of  a  grave  difficulty  found 


2o8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

in  establishing  the  hierarchy  and  centralising  the 
worship.  It  was  a  necessity — shall  we  call  it  a  sad 
necessity  ? — that  the  men  of  the  tribes  should  be 
deprived  of  direct  access  to  the  sanctuary  and  the 
oracle.  Earthly,  disobedient,  and  far  from  trustful  in 
God,  they  could  not  be  allowed,  even  the  hereditary 
chiefs  among  them,  to  offer  sacrifices.  The  ideas  of 
the  Divine  holiness  embodied  in  the  Mosaic  law  were 
so  far  in  advance  of  the  common  thought  of  Israel, 
that  the  old  order  had  to  be  superseded  by  one  fitted 
to  promote  the  spiritual  education  of  the  people,  and 
prepare  them  for  a  time  when  there  shall  be  "on  the 
bells  of  the  horses.  Holy  unto  the  Lord;  and  every 
pot  in  Judah  shall  be  holy  unto  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
and  all  they  that  sacrifice  shall  come  and  take  of  them 
and  seethe  therein."  The  institution  of  the  Aaronic 
priesthood  was  a  step  of  progress  indispensable  to  the 
security  of  religion  and  the  brotherhood  of  the  tribes 
in  that  high  sense  for  which  they  were  made  a  nation. 
But  it  was  at  the  same  time  a  confession  that  Israel 
was  not  spiritual,  was  not  the  holy  congregation  Korah 
declared  it  to  be.  The  greater  was  the  pity  that  after- 
wards in  the  day  of  Israel's  opportunity,  when  Christ 
came  to  lead  the  whole  people  into  the  spiritual  liberty 
and  grace  for  which  prophets  had  longed,  the  priestly 
system  was  held  tenaciously  as  the  pride  of  the  nation. 
When  the  law  of  ritual  and  sacrifice  and  priestly 
mediation  should  have  been  left  behind  as  no  longer 
necessary  because  the  Messiah  had  come,  the  way  of 
higher  Hfe  was  opened  in  vain.  Sacerdotalism  held  its 
place  with  full  consent  of  those  who  guided  affairs. 
Israel  as  a  nation  was  blinded,  and  its  day  shone  in 
vain. 

Of    all    priesthoods    as    corporate    bodies,    however 


xvj.,xvii.]       KORAH,   DATHAN,   AND  ABIRAM  209 

estimable,  zealous,  and  spiritually-minded  individual 
members  of  them  may  be,  must  it  not  be  said  that  their 
existence  is  a  sad  necessity  ?  They  may  be  educative. 
A  sacerdotal  system  now  may,  like  that  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  be  a  tutor  to  bring  men  to  Christ.  Realising  that, 
those  who  hold  office  under  it  may  bring  help  to  men 
not  yet  fit  for  Uberty.  But  priestly  dominance  is  no  per- 
petual rule  in  any  church,  certainly  not  in  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  The  freedom  with  which  Christ  makes  men 
free  is  the  goal.  The  highest  duty  a  priest  can  fulfil 
is  to  prepare  men  for  that  liberty ;  and  as  soon  as  he 
can  he  should  discharge  them  for  the  enjoyment  of  it. 
To  find  in  episodes  like  those  of  Korah's  revolt  and  its 
suppression  a  rule  applicable  to  modern  religious  affairs 
is  too  great  an  anachronism.  For  whatever  right 
sacerdotalism  now  has  is  purely  of  the  Church's  toler- 
ance, in  the  measure  not  of  Divine  right,  but  of  the 
need  of  uninstructed  men.  To  the  spiritual,  to  those 
who  know,  the  priestly  system  with  its  symbols  and 
authoritative  claim  is  but  an  interference  with  privilege 
and  duty. 

Can  any  Aaron  now  make  an  atonement  for  a  mass 
of  people,  or  even  in  virtue  of  his  office  apply  to 
them  the  atonement  made  by  Christ  ?  How  does  his 
absolution  help  a  soul  that  knows  Christ  the  Redeemer 
as  every  Christian  soul  ought  to  know  Him  ?  The 
great  fault  of  priesthoods  always  is,  that  having  once 
gained  power,  they  endeavour  to  retain  it  and  extend 
it,  making  greater  claims  the  longer  they  exist. 
Affirming  that  they  speak  for  the  Church,  they 
endeavour  to  control  the  voice  of  the  Church.  Affirm- 
ing that  they  speak  for  Christ,  they  deny  or  minimise 
His  great  gift  of  liberty.  Freedom  of  thought  and 
reason   was   to    Cardinal    Newman,   for   example,    the 

14 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


cause  of  all  deplorable  heresies  and  infidelities,  of  a 
divided  Church  and  a  ruined  world.  The  candid  priest 
of  our  day  is  found  making  his  claim  as  largely  as 
ever,  and  then  virtually  explaining  it  away.  Should 
not  the  vain  attempt  to  hold  by  Judaic  institutions 
cease  ?  And  although  the  Church  of  Christ  early 
made  the  mistake  of  harking  back  to  Mosaism,  should 
not  confession  now  be  made  that  priesthood  of  the 
exclusive  kind  is  out  of  date,  that  every  believer  may 
perform  the  highest  functions  of  the  consecrated  life  ? 

The  Divine  choice  of  Aaron,  his  confirmation  in  high 
religious  office  by  the  budding  of  the  almond  twig  as 
well  as  by  the  acceptance  of  his  intercession,  have  their 
parallels  now.  The  realities  of  one  age  become  symbols 
for  another.  Like  the  whole  ritual  of  Israel,  these 
particular  incidents  may  be  turned  to  Christian  use  by 
way  of  illustration.  But  not  with  regard  to  the  prero- 
gative of  any  arch-hierarch.  The  availing  intercession 
is  that  of  Christ,  the  sole  headship  over  the  tribes  of 
men  is  that  which  He  has  gained  by  Divine  courage, 
love,  and  sacrifice.  Among  those  who  believe  there  is 
equal  dependence  on  the  work  of  Christ.  When  we 
come  to  intercession  which  they  make  for  each  other, 
it  is  of  value  in  consideration  not  of  office  but  of  faith. 
"The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man 
availeth  much."  It  is  as  ''righteous"  men,  humble 
men,  not  as  priests  they  prevail.  The  sacraments  are 
efficacious,  "not  from  any  virtue  in  them  or  in  him 
that  administers  them,"  but  through  faith,  by  the  energy 
of  the  omnipresent  Spirit. 

Yet  there  are  men  chosen  to  special  duty,  whose 
almond  twigs  bud  and  blossom  and  become  their 
sceptres.  Appointment  and  ordination  are  our  expedi- 
ents ;  grace  is  given  by  God  in  a  higher  line  of  calling 


xvi.,xvii.]       KORAH,  DATHAN,  AND  ABIRAM. 


and  endowment.  While  there  are  blessings  pronounced 
that  fall  upon  the  ear  or  gratify  the  sensibility,  theirs 
reach  the  soul.  For  them  the  world  has  need  to  thank 
God.  They  keep  religion  alive,  and  make  it  bourgeon 
and  yield  the  new  fruits  for  which  the  generations 
hunger.  They  are  new  branches  of  the  Living  Vine. 
Of  them  it  has  often  to  be  said,  as  of  the  Lord  Himself, 
''  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  the  same  has 
become  head  of  the  corner ;  this  is  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes." 


XV 

TITHES  AND   CLEANSINGS 
Numbers  xviii.,  xix 

I.  y^UTIES  AND  Support  of  the  Ministry. — The 
1  J  statutes  of  chap,  xviii.  are  related  to  the  rebel- 
Hon  of  Korah  by  a  clause  in  ver.  9,  "  Ye  shall  keep  the 
charge  of  the  sanctuary  and  the  charge  of  the  altar : 
that  there  be  wrath  no  more  upon  the  children  of 
Israel."  The  enactments  are  directed  anew  against 
any  intrusion  into  the  sacred  service  by  those  who  are 
not  Levites,  and  into  the  priesthood  by  those  who  are 
not  Aaronites.  It  is  clearly  implied  that  the  ministry 
of  the  tabernacle  is  held  under  a  grave  responsibility. 
The  "  iniquity  of  the  sanctuary  "  and  the  "  iniquity  of 
the  priesthood  "  have  to  be  borne ;  and  the  Aaronites 
alone  are  commissioned  to  bear  that  iniquity.  The 
Levites,  though  they  serve,  are  not  to  touch  the  holy 
vessels  lest  they  die.  The  priesthood,  ''  for  everything 
of  the  altar,  and  for  that  within  the  veil/'  is  given  to 
the  Aaronites  as  a  service  of  gift. 

A  certain  "iniquity,"  corresponding  to  the  holiness 
of  the  tabernacle  and  its  vessels,  attends  the  service 
which  is  to  be  done  by  the  priests.  Their  entrance 
into  the  sacred  tent  is  an  approach  to  Jehovah,  and 
from  His  purity  there  is  thrown  a  defilement  on  human 
life.      The   idea   thus  represented    is    capable    of  fine 

212 


xviii.,xix.]  TITHES  AND   CLEANSINGS  213 

spiritual  realisation.  With  this  embodied  in  the  law 
and  worship,  there  is  no  need  to  look  in  any  other 
direction  for  that  evangelical  poverty  of  spirit  which 
the  better  Israelites  of  an  after  time  knew.  Here 
prophecy  found  in  the  law  a  germ  of  deep  religious 
feeling  which,  rising  above  tabernacle  and  altar,  became 
the  holy  fear  of  Him  who  inhabits  eternity.  The 
creation  throughout  its  whole  range,  in  the  very  act 
of  receiving  existence,  comes  into  contrast  with  the 
creative  Will  and  is  on  a  lower  moral  plane,  to  which 
the  Divine  purity  does  not  accompany  it.  The  seraphim 
of  Isaiah's  vision  feel  this  severance  to  a  certain  extent. 
They  are  so  far  apart  from  God  that  His  holiness  is 
not  enjoyed  unconsciously,  as  the  element  of  Hfe.  It 
shines  above  them  and  determines  their  attitude  and 
the  terms  of  their  praise.  With  their  wings  they  cover 
their  faces,  and  they  cry  to  each  other,  "  Holy,  holy, 
holy  is  Jehovah  of  hosts  :  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
His  glory."  Even  they  '*  bear  the  iniquity  "  of  the  great 
temple  of  the  world  in  which  they  minister.  On  fallen 
man  that  iniquity  lies  with  almost  crushing  weight. 
''  Woe  is  me  I "  says  the  prophet,  '*  for  I  am  undone  ; 
because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips  :  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  the  King,  Jehovah  of  hosts."  Thus  the  soul  is 
brought  into  that  profound  consciousness  of  defect  and 
pollution  which  is  the  preparation  for  reverent  service 
of  the  Highest.  The  attribute  of  hoHness  remains  with 
God  always,  and  His  mercy  in  forgiving  sin  in  no  way 
detracts  from  it.  The  eternity  of  God  sets  Him  so  far 
above  transitory  men  that  He  can  extend  compassion 
to  them.  *'  Art  Thou  not  from  everlasting,  O  Jehovah 
my  God,  mine  Holy  One?  We  shall  not  die."  But 
His  touch  is,  to  the  .sinful  earth,  almost  destruction. 


214  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

When  the  Lord  the  God  of  hosts  toucheth  the  land  it 
melteth,  and  all  that  dwell  therein  mourn  (Amos  ix.  12). 
When  a  people  falls  from  righteousness  the  Divine 
holiness  burns  against  it  like  a  consuming  fire.  "  We 
are  all  become  as  one  that  is  unclean,  and  all  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  a  polluted  garment  :  and  we 
all  do  fade  as  a  leaf;  and  our  iniquities  hke  the  wind 
take  us  away.  .  .  .  Thou  hast  hid  Thy  face  from  us, 
and  hast  consumed  us  by  means  of  our  iniquities " 
(Isa.  Ixiv.  6,  7). 

The  idea  of  the  identification  with  the  Holy  God  of 
the  sanctuary  dedicated  to  Him,  so  that  from  the  porch 
of  it  falls  the  shadow  of  iniquity,  is  still  further  carried 
out  in  Numb,  xviii.  i,  where  it  is  declared  that  Aaron 
and  his  sons  shall  '^  bear  the  iniquity  "  of  their  priest- 
hood. The  meaning  is  that  the  priesthood  as  an 
abstract  thing,  an  office  held  from  Jehovah  and  for 
Him,  has  a  holiness  hke  the  sanctuary,  and  that  the 
entrance  into  it  of  a  man  hke  Aaron  brings  to  light 
his  human  imperfection  and  taint.  And  this  corre- 
sponds to  a  consciousness  which  every  one  who  deals 
with  sacred  truth  and  undertakes  the  conduct  of 
Divine  worship  in  the  right  spirit  is  bound  to  have. 
Entering  on  those  exalted  duties  he  ''  bears  his  ini- 
quity." The  sense  of  daring  intrusion  may  almost 
keep  back  a  man  who  knows  that  he  has  received  a 
Divine  call. 

To  the  heavenly  muse  the  poet  can  but  reply : — 

"  I  am  not  worthy  even  to  speak 
Of  Thy  prevailing  mysteries; 
For  I  am  but  an  earthly  muse  .   .  . 
And  darken  sanctities  with  song." 

With  regard  to  the  Levites  whom  Aaron  is  to  bring 
near  "  that  they  may  be  joined  unto  him,"  it  is  singular 


xviii.,xix.]  TITHES  AND   CLEANSINGS  215 

that  their  duties  and  the  restrictions  put  on  them  are 
detailed  here  as  if  now  for  the  first  time  this  branch 
of  the  sacred  ministry  was  being  organised.  In  the 
actual  development  of  things  this  may  be  true.  Diffi- 
culties had  to  be  overcome,  the  nature  of  the  statutes 
and  ordinances  had  to  be  explained.  Now  the  time  of 
practical  initiation  may  have  arrived.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  attempt  of  Korah  to  press  into  the  priesthood 
may  have  made  neiessary  a  recapitulation  of  the  law  of 
Levitical  service. 

For  the  support  of  the  Aaronites  the  heave  offerings, 
*'even  all  the  hallowed  things  of  the  children  of  Israel  " 
were  to  be  given  *'  by  reason  of  the  anointing."  The 
meal  offerings,  sin  offerings,  and  guilt  offerings,  as 
most  holy,  were  to  be  for  the  male  Aaronites  alone  : 
heave  offerings  of  sacrifice,  again,  "  all  the  wave  offer- 
ings," were  to  be  used  by  the  Aaronites  and  their 
families,  the  reservation  being  made  that  only  those 
without  ceremonial  defilement  should  eat  of  them. 
The  first-fruits  of  the  oil  and  vintage  and  the  first 
ripe  of  all  fruits  in  the  land  were  other  perquisites. 
Further,  the  first-born  of  man  and  of  beast  were  to  be 
nominally  devoted  ;  but  ftrst-born  children  were  to  be 
redeemed  for  five  shekels,  and  the  firstlings  of  unclean 
beasts  were  also  to  be  redeemed.  The  children  of 
Aaron  were  to  have  no  inheritance  in  the  land.  In 
these  ways  however,  and  by  the  payment  to  the  priests 
of  the  tenth  part  of  the  tithes  collected  by  the  Levites, 
ample  provision  was  made  for  them. 

For  the  Levites,  nine-tenths  of  all  tithes  of  produce 
would  appear  to  have  been  not  only  sufficient,  but  far 
more  than  their  proportion.  According  to  the  numbers 
reported  in  this  book,  twenty-two  thousand  Levites — 
about  twelve  thousand   of  them    adult  men — were  to 


2i6  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

receive  tithes  from  six  hundred  thousand.  This  would 
make  the  provision  for  the  Levite  as  much  as  for  any 
five  men  of  the  tribes.  An  explanation  is  suggested 
that  the  regular  payment  of  tithes  could  not  be 
reckoned  upon.  There  would  always  be  Israelites 
who  resented  an  obligation  like  this ;  and  as  the  duty 
of  paying  tithes,  though  enjoined  in  the  law,  was  a 
moral  one,  not  enforced  by  penalty,  the  Levites  were 
really  in  many  periods  of  the  history  of  Israel  in  a 
state  of  poverty.  It  was  a  complaint  of  Malachi  even 
after  the  captivity,  when  the  law  was  in  force,  that  the 
tithes  were  not  brought  to  the  temple  storehouses. 
The  Deuteronomic  laws  of  tithing,  moreover,  are  differ- 
ent from  those  given  in  Numbers.  While  here  we  read 
of  a  single  tithe  which  is  to  be  for  the  Levites,  which, 
if  paid,  would  be  more  than  sufficient  for  them, 
Deuteronomy  speaks  of  an  annual  tithe  of  produce 
to  be  eaten  by  the  people  at  the  central  sanctuary  by 
way  of  a  festival,  to  which  children,  servants,  and 
Levites  were  to  be  invited.  Each  third  year  a  special 
tithe  was  to  be  used  in  feasting,  not  necessarily  at  the 
sanctuary,  and  again  the  Levites  were  to  have  their 
share.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  there  were  two 
annual  tithings  and  in  the  third  year  three  tithings  of 
the  produce  of  the  land.  But  this  seems  far  more  than 
even  a  specially  fertile  country  could  bear.  There  was 
no  rent  to  be  paid,  of  course ;  and  if  the  tithes  were 
used  in  a  festival  no  great  difficulty  might  be  found. 
But  it  is  clear  at  all  events  that  more  dependence  was 
placed  on  the  free  will  of  the  people  than  on  the  law ;  and 
the  Levites  and  priests  must  have  suffered  when  religion 
fell  into  neglect.     Israel  was  not  ideally  generous. 

2.  Water    of    Purification. — The   statute  of  xix. 


xviii.,xix.]  TITHES  AND   CLEANSINGS  217 

1-22  is  peculiar,  and  the  rites  it  enjoins  are  full  of 
symbolism.  It  is  implied  that  water  alone  was  unable 
to  remove  the  defilement  caused  by  touching  a  dead 
body ;  but  at  the  same  time  the  taint  was  so  common 
and  might  be  incurred  so  far  from  the  sanctuary  that 
sacrifice  could  not  always  be  exacted.  In  order  to 
meet  the  case  an  animal  was  to  be  offered,  and  the 
residue  of  its  burning  was  to  be  kept  for  use  whenever 
the  defilement  of  death  had  to  be  taken  away. 

A  red  heifer  was  to  be  chosen,  the  colour  of  the 
animal  pointing  to  the  hue  of  blood.  The  heifer  was 
to  be  free  from  blemish,  a  type  of  vigorous  and  prolific 
life.  The  charge  of  the  sacrifice  was  to  be  given  to 
Eleazar  the  priest,  for  the  high-priest  himself  might 
not  undertake  a  duty  the  performance  of  which  caused 
uncleanness.  The  ceremonies  must  take  place  not  only 
outside  the  tabernacle  court,  but  outside  the  camp,  that 
the  intensity  of  the  uncleanness  to  be  transferred  to 
the  animal  and  purged  by  the  sacrifice  may  be  clearly 
understood.  The  heifer  being  slain,  the  priest  takes 
of  its  blood  and  sprinkles  it  towards  the  tent  of  meeting 
seven  times,  in  Heu  of  the  ordinary  sprinkling  on  the 
altar.  The  whole  animal  is  then  burnt,  and  while  the 
flame  ascends  the  virtue  of  the  residuent  ashes  is 
symbolically  increased  by  certain  other  elements.  These 
are  cedar  wood,  which  was  beheved  to  have  special 
medicinal  qualities,  and  also  may  have  been  chosen  on 
account  of  the  long  life  of  the  tree  ;  some  threads  of 
scarlet  wool  which  would  represent  the  arterial  blood, 
instinct  with  vital  power ;  and  hyssop  which  was 
employed  in  purification. 

The  priest,  having  presided  at  the  sacrifice,  was  to 
wash  his  clothes  in  water  and  bathe  his  flesh  and  hold 
himself  unclean  till  the  even.     The  assistant  who  fed 


2i8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  fire  was  in  like  manner  unclean.  These  were  both 
to  withdraw ;  and  one  who  was  clean  w^as  to  gather  the 
ashes  of  the  burning  and,  having  provided  some  clean 
vessel  within  the  camp,  he  was  to  store  up  the  purifying 
ashes  for  future  use  by  the  people.  Finally,  the  person 
who  did  this  last  duty,  having  become  tainted  like  the 
others,  was  to  wash  his  clothes  and  be  unclean  for  the 
day.  The  ashes  were  to  be  used  by  mixing  them  with 
water  to  make  ''water  for  pollution";  that  is,  water  to 
take  away  pollution.  Special  care  was  to  be  exercised 
that  only  Hving  water,  or  water  from  a  flowing  stream, 
should  be  used  for  this  purpose.  It  was  to  be  applied 
to  the  defiled  person,  vessel,  or  tent,  by  means  of 
hyssop.  But,  again,  the  man  who  used  the  water  of 
purification  in  this  way  was  to  wash  his  clothes  aaid 
be  unclean  until  even. 

Here  we  have  an  extra-sacerdotal  rite,  not  of  worship 
— for  as  ordinarily  used  there  was  no  prayer  to  God, 
nor  perhaps  even  the  thought  of  appeal  to  God.  It 
was  religious,  for  the  sense  of  defilement  belonged  to 
religion  ;  but  when  under  the  necessity  of  the  occasion 
any  one  applied  the  water  of  purification,  his  sense  of 
acting  the  priestly  part  was  reduced  to  the  lowest 
point.  The  efficacy  came  through  the  action  of  the 
accredited  priest  when  the  heifer  was  sacrificed,  it  might 
be  a  year  previously.  So,  although  provision  was 
made  for  needs  occurring  far  from  the  sanctuary,  no 
opening  was  left  for  any  one  to  claim  the  power  belong- 
ing to  the  sacerdotal  office.  And  in  order  to  make  this 
still  more  sure  it  was  enacted  (ver.  21),  that  though 
the  sprinkled  water  of  purification  cleansed  the  unclean, 
any  one  who  touched  it  being  himself  clean  should 
de  facto  be  defiled.  The  water  was  declared  so  sacred 
that  unless  in  cases  where  it  was  really  required  no 


xviii.,xix.]  TITHES  AND  CLEANSINGS  219 

one  would  be  disposed  to  meddle  with  it.  The  sanctity 
of  the  tabernacle  and  the  priesthood  was  symbolically 
carried  forth  to  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  land.  All 
were  to  be  on  their  guard  lest  they  should  incur  the 
judgment  of  God  by  abusing  that  which  had  ceremonial 
holiness  and  power. 

The  idea  here  is  in  a  sense  directly  opposite  to  that 
which  we  associate  with  the  sacred  word,  by  which 
Divine  will  is  communicated  and  souls  are  begotten 
anew.  To  use  that  word,  to  make  it  known  abroad  is 
the  duty  of  every  one  who  has  heard  and  believed. 
He  diffuses  blessing  and  is  himself  blessed.  There  is 
no  strict  law  hedging  about  with  precautions  the  happy 
privilege  of  conveying  to  the  sin-defiled  the  message 
of  forgiveness  and  life.  And  yet  may  we  not  call  to 
recollection  here  the  words  of  Paul,  "  I  buffet  my  body, 
and  bring  it  into  bondage  ;  lest  by  any  means,  after 
that  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself  should  be 
rejected."  In  a  spiritual  sense  they  should  be  clean 
who  bear  the  vessels  of  the  Lord ;  and  every  deed 
done,  every  word  spoken  in  the  sacred  Name,  if  not 
with  purity  of  purpose  and  singleness  of  heart,  involves 
in  guilt  him  who  acts  and  speaks.  The  privilege  has 
its  accompanying  danger  ;  and  the  more  widely  it  is 
used  in  the  thousand  organisations  within  and  without 
the  Church,  the  more  carefully  do  all  who  use  it  need 
to  guard  the  sanctity  of  the  message  and  the  Name. 
'*  In  a  great  house  there  are  not  only  vessels  of  gold 
and  silver,  but  also  of  wood  and  of  earth  ;  and  some 
unto  honour,  and  some  unto  dishonour.  If  a  man  there- 
fore purge  himself  from  these  " — the  profane  babblings 
of  those  who  do  not  handle  the  word  of  God  aright 
— "  he  shall  be  a  vessel  unto  honour,  sanctified,  meet 
for  the  Master's  use,  prepared  unto  every  good  work." 


THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


3.  Defilement  by  the  Dead. — The  statute  of  the 
water  of  purification  stands  closely  related  to  one  form 
of  uncleanness,  that  occasioned  by  death.  When  death 
took  place  in  a  tent,  every  one  who  came  into  the  tent 
and  every  one  who  was  in  the  tent,  every  open  vessel 
that  had  no  covering  bound  upon  it,  and  the  tent  itself 
(ver.  18)  were  defiled;  and  the  taint  could  not  be 
removed  in  less  than  seven  days.  Whoever  in  the 
open  field  touched  one  who  had  been  slain  with  a 
sword,  or  had  otherwise  died,  or  touched  the  bone  of 
a  man,  or  a  grave — contracted  like  defilement.  For 
purification  the  sacred  water  had  to  be  sprinkled  on 
the  defiled  person,  on  the  third  day  and  again  on  the 
seventh  day.  Not  only  the  aspersion  with  sacred 
water,  but,  in  addition,  cleansing  of  clothes  and  of  the 
body  was  necessary,  in  order  to  complete  the  removal 
of  the  taint.  And  further,  while  any  one  was  unclean 
from  this  cause,  if  he  touched  another,  his  touch  carried 
defilement  that  continued  to  the  close  of  the  day. 
To  neglect  the  statute  of  purification  was  to  defile  the 
tabernacle  of  Jehovah  :  he  who  did  so  was  to  be  cut 
off  from  his  people. 

The  law  was  made  stringent,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  partly  no  doubt  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
the  spread  of  disease.  And  to  that  extent  the  preserva- 
tion of  health  was  presented  as  a  religious  duty ;  for 
only  in  that  sense  can  we  understand  the  statement 
that  he  who  did  not  purify  himself  defiled  the  tabernacle 
of  Jehovah.  Yet  the  stringency  cannot  be  altogether 
due  to  this,  for  a  bone  or  a  grave  would  not  often 
communicate  infection.  The  general  principle  must 
be  received  by  way  of  explanation,  that  death  is  pecu- 
liarly repugnant  to  the  life  of  God,  and  therefore 
contact  with  it,  in  any  form,  takes  away  the  right  of 


xviii.,xix.]  TITHES  AND   CLEANSINGS  221 

approach  to  the  sanctuary.  That  this  idea  goes  back 
to  the  fall  and  the  death  penalty  then  pronounced 
might  seem  a  reasonable  conclusion.  But  the  same 
thought  does  not  apply  to  the  defilement  connected 
with  birth.  If  the  statute  regarding  uncleanness  by 
death  rested  on  the  connection  of  death  with  sin,  making 
"  death  and  mortal  corruption  an  embodiment  of  sin," 
the  thought  was  obscured  by  many  other  laws  regard- 
ing uncleanness.  The  aim  we  must  believe  was  to 
make  the  theocratic  oversight  of  the  people  penetrate 
as  many  as  possible  of  the  incidents  and  contingencies 
of  their  existence. 


XVI 

SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH 
Numbers  xx 

THERE  is  a  mustering  at  Kadesh  of  the  scattered 
tribes,  for  now  the  end  of  the  period  of  wander- 
ing approaches,  and  the  generation  that  has  been 
disciph'ned  in  the  wilderness  must  prepare  for  a  new 
advance.  The  spies  who  searched  Canaan  were  sent 
from  Kadesh  (xiii.  26),  to  which,  in  the  second  year 
from  the  exodus,  the  tribes  had  penetrated.  Now,  in 
the  first  month  of  the  fortieth  year  it  would  seem, 
Kadesh  is  again  the  headquarters.  The  adjacent 
district  is  called  the  desert  of  Zin.  Eastward,  across 
the  great  plain  of  the  Arabah,  reaching  from  the  Dead 
Sea  to  the  Elanitic  Gulf,  are  the  mountains  of  Seir, 
the  natural  rampart  of  Edom.  To  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  at  Elath  the  distance  is  some  eighty  miles  in  a 
straight  line  southward;  to  the  southern  end  of  the 
Dead  Sea  it  is  about  fifty  miles.  Kadesh  is  almost 
upon  the  southern  border  of  Canaan  ;  but  the  way  of 
the  Negeb  is  barred  by  defeat,  and  Israel  must  enter 
the  Promised  Land  by  another  route.  In  preparation  for 
the  advance  the  tribes  gather  from  the  wadies  and  pla- 
teaus in  which  they  have  been  wandering,  and  at  Kadesh 
or  near  it  the  earlier  incidents  of  this  chapter  occur. 
First  among  them  is  the  death  of  Miriam.  She  has 
222 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  223 

survived  the  hardships  of  the  desert  and  reached  a 
very  great  age.  Her  time  of  influence  and  vigour 
past,  all  the  joys  of  life  now  in  the  dim  memories  of 
a  century,  she  is  glad,  no  doubt,  when  the  call  comes. 
It  was  her  happiness  once  to  share  the  enthusiasm  of 
Moses  and  to  sustain  the  faith  of  the  people  in  their 
leader  and  in  God.  But  any  service  of  this  kind  she 
could  render  has  been  left  behind.  For  some  time  she 
has  been  able  only  now  and  then  with  feeble  steps  to 
move  to  the  tent  of  meeting  that  she  might  assure 
herself  of  the  welfare  of  Moses.  The  tribes  will  press 
on  to  Canaan,  but  she  shall  never  see  it. 

How  is  a  life  like  this  of  Miriam's  to  be  reckoned  ? 
Take  into  account  her  faith  and  her  faithfulness  ;  but 
remember  that  both  were  maintained  with  some  inter- 
mixture of  poor  egotism ;  that  while  she  helped  Moses 
she  also  claimed  to  rival  and  rebuke  him  ;  that  while 
she  served  Jehovah  it  was  with  some  of  the  pride  of  a 
prophetess.  Her  devotion,  her  endurance,  the  long 
interest  in  her  brother's  work,  which  indeed  led  to  the 
great  error  of  her  life — these  were  her  virtues,  the  old 
great  virtues  of  a  woman.  So  far  as  opportunity  went 
she  doubtless  did  her  utmost,  with  some  independence 
of  thought  and  decision  of  character.  Even  though 
she  gave  way  to  jealousy  and  passed  beyond  her 
right,  we  must  believe  that,  on  the  whole,  she  served 
her  generation  in  loyalty  to  the  best  she  knew,  and 
in  the  fear  of  the  Most  High.  But  into  what  a 
strange  disturbed  current  of  life  was  her  effort  thrown  ! 
Downcast,  sorely  burdened  women,  counting  for  very 
little  when  they  were  cheerful  or  when  they  complained, 
heard  Miriam's  words  and  took  them  into  their  narrow 
thoughts,  to  resent  her  enthusiasm,  perhaps,  when  she 
was  enthusiastic,  to  grudge  her  the  power  she  enjoyed. 


224  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

which  to  herself  seemed  so  shght.  In  the  camp 
generally  she  had  respect,  and  perhaps,  once  and  again, 
she  was  able  to  reconcile  to  Moses  and  to  one  another 
those  whose  quarrels  threatened  the  common  peace. 
When  she  was  put  forth  from  the  camp  in  the  shame 
of  her  leprosy,  all  were  affected,  and  the  march  was 
stayed  till  her  time  of  separation  was  over.  Was  she 
one  of  those  women  whose  lot  it  is  to  serve  others 
all  their  lives  and  to  have  little  for  their  service  ?  Still, 
like  many  another,  she  helped  to  make  Israel.  Of 
good  and  evil,  of  Divine  elements  and  some  that  are 
anything  but  Divine,  lives  are  made  up.  And  although 
we  cannot  gather  the  results  of  any  one  and  tell  its 
worth,  the  stream  of  being  retains  and  the  unerring 
judgment  of  God  accepts  whatever  is  sincere  and 
good.  Miriam  from  first  to  last  fills  but  a  few  lines 
of  sacred  history ;  yet  of  her  life,  as  of  others,  more 
has  to  be  told ;  the  end  did  not  come  when  she  died 
at  Kadesh  and  was  buried  outside  Canaan. 

Spread  through  a  diversified  and  not  altogether 
barren  region,  over  many  square  miles,  the  tribes  have 
been  able  during  the  thirty-seven  years  to  provide 
themselves  with  water.  Gathered  more  closely  now, 
when  the  dry  season  begins  they  are  in  want.  And 
at  once  complaints  are  renewed.  Nor  can  we  wonder 
much.  In  flaming  sunshine,  in  the  parched  air  of  the 
heights  and  the  stifling  heat  of  the  "narrow  valleys,  the 
cattle  gasping  and  many  of  them  dying,  the  children' 
crying  in  vain  for  water,  the  little  that  is  to  be  had,  hot 
and  almost  putrid,  carefully  divided,  yet  insufficient  to 
give  each  family  a  little, — the  people  might  well  lament 
their  apparently  inevitable  fate.  It  may  be  said,  '*  They 
should  have  confided  in  God."     But  while  that  might 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  225 

apply  in  ordinary  circumstances,  would  not  be  out  of 
place  if  the  whole  history  were  ideal,  the  reality,  once 
understood,  forbids  so  easy  a  condemnation  of  unbelief. 
Nothing  is  more  terrible  to  endure,  nothing  more  fitted 
to  make  strong  men  weep  or  turn  them  into  savage 
critics  of  a  leader  and  of  Providence,  than  to  see  their 
children  in  the  extremity  of  want  which  they  cannot 
relieve.  And  a  leader  like  Moses,  patient  as  he  may 
have  been  of  other  complaints,  should  have  been  most 
patient  of  this.  When  the  people  chode  with  him  and 
said,  *'  Would  God  that  we  had  died  when  our  brethren 
died  before  the  Lord  I  And  why  have  ye  brought  the 
assembly  of  the  Lord  into  this  wilderness,  that  we 
should  die,  we  and  our  cattle  ?  "  they  ought  surely  to 
have  been  met  with  pity  and  soothing  words. 

It  is  indeed  a  tragedy  we  are  to  witness  when  we 
come  to  the  rock ;  and  one  element  of  it  is  the  old  age 
and  the  weary  spirit  of  the  leader.  Who  can  tell  what 
vexed  his  soul  that  day  ?  how  many  cares  and  anxieties 
burdened  the  mind  that  was  clear  yet,  but  not  so 
tolerant,  perhaps,  as  once  it  had  been  ?  The  years  of 
Moses,  his  long  and  arduous  service  of  the  people,  are 
not  remembered  as  they  ought  to  be.  Even  in  their 
extremity  the  men  of  the  tribes  ought  to  have  appealed 
to  their  great  chief  with  all  respect,  instead  of  breaking 
in  upon  him  with  reproaches.  Was  no  experience 
sufficient  for  thesa  people  ?  After  the  disciphne  of  the 
wilderness,  was  the  new  generation,  like  that  which 
had  died,  still  a  mere  horde,  ungrateful,  rebellious  ? 
From  the  leader's  point  of  view  this  thought  could  not 
fail  to  arise,  and  the  old  magnanimity  did  not  drive  it 
away. 

Another  point  is  the  forbearance  of  Jehovah,  who 
has  no  anger  with  the  people.     The  Divine  Voice  com- 

15 


226  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

mands  Moses  to  take  his  rod  and  go  forth  to  the  rock 
and  spea,k  to  it  before  the  assembly.  This  does  not 
fall  in  with  Moses'  mood.  Why  is  God  not  indignant 
with  the  men  of  this  new  generation  who  seize  the  first 
opportunity  to  begin  their  murmuring?  Relapsing 
from  his  high  inspiration  to  a  poor  human  level,  Moses 
begins  to  think  that  Jehovah,  whose  forgiveness  he  has 
often  implored  on  Israel's  behalf,  is  too  ready  now  to 
forgive.  It  is  a  failing  of  the  best  men  thus  to  stand 
for  the  prerogative  of  God  more  than  God  Himself; 
that  is,  to  mistake  the  real  point  of  the  circumstances 
they  judge  and  the  Divine  will  they  should  interpret. 
The  story  of  Jonah  shows  the  prophet  anxious  that 
Nineveh,  the  inveterate  foe  of  Israel,  the  centre  of 
proud,  God-defying  idolatry,  should  be  destroyed. 
Does  God  wish  it  to  be  spared,  to  repent  and  obtain 
forgiveness  ?  So  does  not  Jonah.  His  creed  is  one 
of  doom  for  wickedness.  He  resents  the  Divine  mercy 
and,  in  effect,  exalts  himself  above  the  Most  High.  In 
like  temper  is  Moses  when  he  goes  out  followed  by  the 
crowd.  There  is  the  rock  from  which  water  shall  be 
made  to  flow.  But  with  the  thought  in  his  mind  that 
the  people  do  not  deserve  God's  help,  Moses  takes  the 
affair  upon  himself  The  tragedy  is  fulfilled  when  his 
own  feelings  guide  him  more  than  the  Divine  patience, 
his  own  displeasure  more  than  the  Divine  compassion ; 
and  with  the  words  on  his  lips,  ''  Hear  now,  ye  rebels ; 
shall  we  bring  you  forth  water  out  of  this  rock  ?  "  he 
smites  it  twice  with  his  rod. 

For  the  moment,  forgetting  Jehovah  the  merciful, 
Moses  will  himself  act  God  ;  and  he  misrepresents  God, 
dishonours  God,  as  every  one  who  forgets  Him  is  sure 
to  do.  Is  he  confident  in  the  power  of  his  wonder- 
working  rod  ?     Does    he    wish  to    show  that   its    old 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  227 

virtue  remains  ?  He  will  use  it  as  if  he  were  smiting 
the  people  as  well  as  the  rock.  Is  he  willing  that  this 
thirsting  multitude  should  drink  ?  Yet  he  is  determined 
to  make  them  feel  that  they  offend  by  the  urgency  with 
which  they  press  upon  him  for  help.  There  have  been 
crises  in  the  lives  of  leaders  of  men  when,  with  all  the 
teaching  of  the  past  to  inspire  them,  they  should  have 
risen  to  a  faith  in  God  far  greater  than  they  ever 
exercised  before ;  and  more  or  less  they  have  failed. 
This  is  not  the  will  of  Providence,  they  have  thought, 
though  they  should  have  known  that  it  was.  They 
have  said,  ''Advance:  but  God  goes  not  with  you/' 
when  they  should  have  seen  the  heavenly  light  moving 
on.  So  Moses  failed.  He  touched  his  limit ;  and  it  was 
far  short  of  that  breadth  of  compassion  which  belongs 
to  the  Most  Merciful.  He  stood  as  God,  with  the  rod 
in  his  hand  to  give  the  water,  but  with  the  condemnation 
upon  his  lips  which  Jehovah  did  not  speak. 

In  this  mood  of  assumed  majesty,  of  moral  indignation 
which  has  a  personal  source,  with  an  air  of  superiority 
not  the  simplicity  of  inspiration,  a  man  may  do  what 
he  will  for  ever  regret,  may  betray  a  habit  of  self- 
esteem  which  has  been  growing  upon  him  and  will  be 
his  ruin  if  it  is  not  checked.  In  the  strong  mind  of 
Moses  there  had  Iain  the  germs  of  hauteur.  The  early 
upbringing  in  an  Egyptian  court  could  not  fail  to  leave 
its  mark,  and  the  dignity  of  a  dictator  could  not 
be  sustained,  after  the  anxieties  of  the  first  two 
years  in  the  desert,  without  some  slight  growth  of  a 
tendency  or  disposition  to  look  down  on  people  so  spirit- 
less, and  play  among  them  the  part  of  Providence,  the 
decrees  of  which  Moses  had  so  often  interpreted.  But 
pride,  even  beginning  to  show  itself  towards  men,  is 
an  aping  of  God.     Unconsciously  the  mind  that  looks 


228  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

down  on  the  crowd  falls  into  the  trick  of  a  superhuman 
claim.  Moses,  great  as  he  is,  without  personal  am- 
bition, the  friend  of  every  Israelite,  reaches  unaware 
the  hour  when  a  habit  long  suppressed  lifts  itself  into 
power.  He  feels  himself  the  guardian  of  justice,  a 
critic  not  only  of  the  lives  of  men  but  of  the  attitude  of 
Jehovah  towards  them.  It  is  but  for  an  hour ;  yet  the 
evil  is  done.  What  appears  to  the  uphfted  mind  justice, 
is  arrogance.  What  is  meant  for  a  defence  of  Jehovah's 
right,  is  desecration  of  the  highest  office  a  man  can 
hold  under  the  Supreme.  The  words  are  spoken,  the 
rock  is  struck  in  pride ;  and  Moses  has  fallen. 

Think  of  the  realisation  of  this  which  comes  when 
the  flush  of  hasty  resentment  dies,  and^the  true  self 
which  had  been  suppressed  revives  in  humble  thought. 
''What  have  I  done?"  is  the  reflection — ''What  have 
I  said  ?  My  rod,  my  hand,  my  will,  what  are  they  ? 
My  indignation !  Who  gave  me  the  right  to  be  in- 
dignant ?  A  king  against  whom  they  have  revolted  ! 
A  guardian  of  the  Divine  honour  1  Alas  !  I  have  denied 
Jehovah.  I,  who  stood  for  Him  in  my  pride,  have 
defamed  Him  in  my  vanity.  The  people  who  murmured, 
whom  I  rebuked,  have  sinned  less  than  I.  They  dis- 
trusted God,  I  have  declared  Him  unmerciful,  and 
thereby  sown  the  seeds  of  distrust.  Now  I,  too,  am 
barred  from  Israel's  inheritance.  Unworthy  of  the 
promise,  I  shall  never  cross  the  border  of  God's  land. 
Aaron  my  brother,  we  are  the  transgressors.  Because 
we  have  not  honoured  God  to  sanctify  Him  in  the  eyes 
of  the  children  of  Israel,  therefore  we  shall  not  bring 
this  assembly  unto  the  land  He  gives  them."  By  the 
lips  of  Moses  himself  the  oracle  was  given.  It  was 
tragical  indeed. 

But  how  could  the  brothers  who  had  yielded  to  this 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  229 

dictatorial  hierarchical  temper  be  men  of  God  again, 
fit  for  another  stroke  of  work  for  Him,  unless,  coming 
forth  into  action,  their  pride  had  disclosed  itself,  and 
with  whatever  bad  result  shown  its  real  nature  ?  We 
deplore  the  pride  ;  we  almost  weep  to  see  its  mani- 
festation ;  we  hear  with  sorrow  the  judgment  of  Moses 
and  Aaron.  But  well  is  it  that  the  worst  should  come 
to  light,  that  the  evil  thing  should  be  seen,  God-dis- 
honouring, sacrilegious ;  should  be  judged,  repented 
of,  punished.  Moses  must  ''  feel  himself  and  find  the 
blessedness  of  being  little."  "  B}^  that  sin  fell  the  angels," 
that  sin  unconfessed.  Here  in  open  sight  of  all,  in  hear- 
ing of  all,  Moses  lays  down  the  godhead  he  had  assumed, 
acknowledges  unworthiness,  takes  his  place  humbly 
among  those  who  shall  not  inherit  the  promise.  The 
worst  of  all  happens  to  a  man  when  his  pride  remains 
unrevealed,  uncondemned  ;  grows  to  more  and  more, 
and  he  never  discovers  that  he  is  attempting  to  carry 
himself  with  the  air  of  Providence,  of  Divinity. 

The  error  of  Moses  was  great,  yet  only  showed  him 
to  be  a  man  of  like  passions  with  ourselves.  Who 
can  realise  the  mercy  and  lovingkindness  that  are 
in  the  heart  of  God,  the  danger  of  limiting  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel  ?  The  murmuring  of  the  Israelites 
against  Jehovah  had  often  been  rebuked,  had  often 
brought  them  into  condemnation.  Moses  had  once 
and  again  intervened  as  their  mediator  and  saved 
them  from  death.  Remembering  the  times  when 
he  had  to  speak  of  Jehovah's  anger,  he  feels  himself 
justified  in  his  own  resentment.  He  thought  the 
murmuring  was  over;  it  is  resumed  unexpectedly, 
the  same  old  complaints  are  made  and  he  is  carried 
away  by  what  appears  zeal  for  Jehovah.  Yet  there 
is  in  him  even,  the  man,  much  more  in  God,  a  better 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


than  the  seeming  best.  Pathetic  indeed  is  it  to  find 
Moses  judged  as  one  who  has  failed  from  the  high 
place  he  could  have  reached  by  a  final  effort  of  self- 
mastery,  one  more  generous  thought.  And  we  'see 
him  fail  at  a  point  where  we  often  fail.  Sternly  to 
judge  our  own  right  of  condemning  before  we  speak 
sternly  in  the  name  of  God ;  neither  to  do  nor  say 
anything  which  implies  the  assumption  of  knowledge, 
justice,  charity  we  do  not  possess — how  few  of  us  are 
in  these  respects  blameless  for  a  day  !  Far  back  in 
sacred  history  this  high  duty  is  presented  so  as  to 
evoke  the  best  endeavour  of  the  Christian  soul  and 
warn  it  from  the  place  of  failure. 

There  is  preserved  in  the  Book  of  Exodus  (xxxvi.) 
a  list  of  the  Kings  of  Edom  reaching  down  apparently 
to  about  the  establishment  of  the  monarchy  of  Israel. 
Recent  archaeology  sees  no  reason  to  question  the 
genuineness  of  this  historical  notice  or  the  names  of 
the  Dukes  of  Edom  given  in  the  same  passage.  With 
varying  boundaries  the  region  over  which  they  ruled 
extended  southward  from  Moab  and  the  Dead  Sea  as 
far  as  the  Elanitic  Gulf.  Kadesh,  considerably  west 
of  the  Arabah,  is  described  as  being  on  its  uttermost 
border.  But  the  district  inhabited  by  the  Edomites 
proper  was  a  narrow  strip  of  rugged  country  eastward 
of  the  range  of  Mount  Seir.  One  pass  giving  entrance 
to  the  heart  of  Edom  led  by  the  base  of  Mount  Hor 
towards  Selah,  afterwards  called  Petra,  which  occupied 
a  fine  but  narrow  valley  in  the  heart  of  broken 
mountains.  To  reach  the  south  of  Moab  the  Israelites 
desired  probably  to  take  a  road  a  good  deal  farther 
north.  But  this  would  have  led  them  by  Bozrah  the 
capital,  and  the  king  who  reigned  at  the  time  refused 


xx.J  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  231 

them  the  route.  The  message  sent  him  in  Moses' 
name  was  friendly,  even  appealing.  The  brotherhood 
of  Edom  and  Israel  was  claimed ;  the  sore  travail  of 
the  tribes  in  Egypt  and  the  deliverance  wrought  by 
Jehovah  were  given  as  reasons ;  promise  was  made 
that  no  harm  should  be  done  to  field  or  vineyard : 
Israel  would  journey  by  the  king's  way  turning  neither 
to  the  right  nor  the  left.  When  the  first  request  was 
refused  Moses  added  that  if  his  people  drank  of  the 
water  while  passing  through  Edom  they  would  pay 
for  it.  The  appeal,  however,  was  made  in  vain.  An 
attempt  to  advance  without  permission  was  repelled. 
An  armed  force  barred  the  way,  and  most  reluctantly 
the  desert  road  was  again  taken. 

We  can  easily  understand  the  objection  of  the  King 
of  Edom.  Many  of  the  defiles  through  which  the  main 
road  wound  were  not  adapted  for  the  march  of  a  great 
multitude.  The  Israelites  could  scarcely  have  gone 
through  Edom  without  injuring  the  fields  and  vine- 
yards ;  and  though  the  undertaking  was  given  in  good 
faith  by  Moses,  how  could  he  answer  for  the  whole 
of  that  undisciplined  host  he  was  leading  towards 
Canaan  ?  The  safety  of  Edom  lay  in  denying  to  other 
peoples  access  to  its  strongholds.  The  difficulty  of 
approaching  them  was  their  main  security.  Israel 
might  go  quietly  through  the  land  now  ;  but  its  armies 
might  soon  return  with  hostile  intent.  Water,  too,  was 
very  precious  in  some  parts  of  Edom.  Enough  was 
stored  in  the  rainy  season  to  supply  the  wants  of  the 
inhabitants ;  beyond  that  there  was  none  to  spare, 
and  for  this  necessary  of  life  money  was  no  equiv- 
alent. A  multitude  travelling  with  cattle  would 
have  made  scarcity,  or  famine, — might  have  left  the 
region   almost   desolate.     With   the   information   they 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


had,  Moses  and  Joshua  may  have  believed  that  there 
were  no  insuperable  difBculties.  Yet  the  best  general- 
ship might  have  been  unequal  to  the  task  of  con- 
trolling Israel  in  the  passes  and  among  the  cultivated 
fields  of  that  singular  country. 

There  is  no  need  to  go  back  on  the  history  of  Jacob' 
and  Esau  in  order  to  account  for  the  apparent  incivihty 
of  the  King  of  Edom  to  the  Israehtes  and  Moses.  That 
quarrel  had  surely  been  long  forgotten  1  But  we  need 
not  wonder  if  the  kinship  of  the  two  peoples  was  no 
availing  argument  in  the  case.  Those  were  not  times 
when  covenants  like  that  proposed  could  be  easily 
trusted,  nor  was  Israel  on  an  expedition  the  nature 
of  which  could  reassure  the  Idumseans.  And  we  have 
parallels  enough  in  modern  life  to  show  that  from  the 
only  point  of  view  the  king  could  take  he  was  amply 
justified.  There  are  demands  men  make  on  others 
without  perceiving  how  difficult  it  will  be  to  grant 
them,  demands  on  time,  on  means,  on  goodwill, 
demands  that  would  involve  moral  as  well  as  material 
sacrifice.  The  foolish  intrusions  of  well-meaning 
people  may  be  borne  for  a  time,  but  there  is  a  limit 
beyond  which  they  cannot  be  suffered.  Our  whole 
fife  cannot  be  exposed  to  the  derangements  of  every 
scheme-maker,  every  claimant.  If  we  are  to  do  our 
own  work  well,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  a  certain 
space  shall  be  jealously  guarded,  where  the  gains  of 
thought  may  be  kept  safely  and  the  ideas  revealed  to  us 
may  be  developed.  That  any  one's  life  should  be  open 
so  that  travellers,  even  with  some  right  of  close 
fraternity,  may  pass  through  the  midst  of  it,  drink  of 
the  wells,  and  trample  down  the  fields  of  growing 
purpose  or  ripening  thought,  this  is  not  required. 
Good-will  makes  an  open  gate ;  Christian  feehng  makes 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  233 

one  still  wider  and  bids  many  welcome.  But  he  who 
would  keep  his  heart  in  fruitfulness  must  be  careful 
to  whom  he  grants  admission.  There  is  beginning  to 
be  a  sort  of  jealousy  of  any  one's  right  to  his  own 
reserve.  It  is  not  a  single  Israel  approaching  from  the 
West,  but  a  score,  with  their  different  schemes,  who 
come  from  every  side  demanding  right  of  way  and 
even  of  abode.  Each  presses  a  Christian  claim  on 
whatever  is  wanted  of  our  hospitality.  But  if  all  had 
what  they  desire  there  would  be  no  personal  life  left. 

On  the  other  hand,  some  whose  highways  are  broad, 
whose  wells  and  streams  are  overflowing,  whose  lives 
are  not  fully  engaged,  show  themselves  exclusive  and 
inhospitable — like  those  proprietors  of  vast  moors  who 
refuse  a  path  to  the  waterfall  or  the  mountain-top. 
Without  Edom's  excuse,  some  modern  Idumaeans  warn 
every  enterprise  off  their  bounds.  Neither  brotherhood 
nor  any  other  claim  is  acknowledged.  They  would 
find  advantage,  not  injury,  in  the  visit  of  those  who 
bring  new  enthusiasms  and  ideas  to  bear  on  existence. 
They  would  learn  of  other  aims  than  occupy  them,  a 
better  hope  than  they  possess.  Their  sympathy  would 
be  enlisted  in  heavenly  or  humane  endeavours,  and 
new  alliances  would  quicken  as  well  as  broaden  their 
life.  But  they  will  not  listen ;  they  continue  selfish 
to  the  end.  Against  all  such  Christianity  has  to  urge 
the  law  of  brotherhood  and  of  sacrifice. 

We  have  assumed  that  Kadesh  was  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Arabah,  and  it  is  necessary  to  take  ver.  20 
as  referring  to  an  incident  that  occurred  after  the 
Israelites  had  crossed  the  valley.  Not  otherwise  can 
we  explain  how  they  came  to  encamp  among  the 
mountains  on  the  eastern  side.     The  repulse  must  have 


234  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

been  sustained  by  the  tribes  after  they  had  left  Kadesh 
and  penetrated  some  distance  into  the  northern  defiles 
of  Idumaea.  Bozrah,  the  capital,  appears  to  have  been 
situated  about  half  way  between  Petra  and  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  a  force  issuing  from 
that  stronghold  would  divert  the  march  southward  so 
that  the  Israelites  could  safely  encamp  only  when  they 
reached  the  open  plain  near  Mount  Hor.  Hither  there- 
fore they  retreated  :  and  here  it  was  that  Moses  and 
Aaron  were  parted.  The  time  had  come  for  the  high 
priest  to  be  gathered  to  his  people. 

Scarcely  any  locality  in  the  whole  track  of  the 
wandering  is  better  identified  than  this.  From  the 
plain  of  the  Arabah  the  mountains  rise  in  a  range 
parallel  to  the  valley,  in  ridges  of  sandstone,  limestone, 
and  chalk,  with  cliffs  and  peaks  of  granite.  The  defile 
that  leads  by  Mount  Hor  to  Petra  is  peculiarly  grand, 
for  here  the  range  attains  its  greatest  height.  •  *'  Through 
a  narrow  ravine,"  says  one  traveller,  "we  ascended  a 
steep  mountain  side,  amid  a  splendour  of  colour  from 
bare  rock  or  clothing  verdure,  and  a  solemnity  of  light 
on  the  broad  summits,  of  shade  in  the  profound  depths 
— a  memory  for  ever.  ...  It  was  the  same  narrow 
path  through  which  in  old  times  had  passed  other 
trains  of  camels  laden  with  the  merchandise  of  India, 
Arabia,  and  Egypt.  And  thus  having  ascended,  we 
had  next  a  long  descent  to  the  foot  of  Mount  Hor, 
which  stands  isolated."  The  mountain  rises  about  four 
thousand  feet  above  the  Arabah  and  has  a  peculiar 
double  crest.  On  its  green  pastures  there  graze  flocks 
of  sheep  and  goats  ;  and  inhabited  caves — used  perhaps 
since  the  days  of  the  old  Horites — are  to  be  seen  here 
and  there.  The  ascent  of  the  mountain  is  aided  by 
steps   cut  in  the  rock,   "  indeed  a  tolerably  complete 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  235 

winding  staircase,"  for  the  chapel  or  mosque  on  the 
summit,  said  to  cover  the  grave  of  Aaron,  is  a  notable 
Arab  sanctuary,  resorted  to  by  many  pilgrims.  "  From 
the  roof  of  the  tomb — now  only  an  ordinary  square 
building  with  a  dome — northward  and  southward,  a 
hilly  desert ;  eastward,  the  mountains  of  Edom,  within 
which  Petra  lies  hid ;  westward,  the  desert  of  the 
Arabah,  or  wilderness  of  Zin  ;  beyond  that,  the  desert 
of  Et-Tih ;  beyond  that  again,  in  the  far  horizon,  the 
blue-tinted  hills  of  the  Land  of  Promise." 

Such  is  the  mountain  at  the  foot  of  which  Israel  lay 
encamped  when  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  **  Take 
Aaron  and  Eleazar  his  son,  and  bring  them  up  unto 
Mount  Hor ;  and  strip  Aaron  of  his  garments,  and  put 
them  upon  Eleazar  his  son  :  and  Aaron  shall  be  gathered 
unto  his  people  and  shall  die  there."  We  imagine  the 
sorrowful  gaze  of  the  multitude  following  the  three 
climbers,  the  aged  brothers  who  had  borne  so  long  the 
burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  and  Eleazar,  already  well 
advanced  in  Hfe,  who  was  to  be  invested  with  his  father's 
office.  Coming  soon  after  the  death  of  Miriam,  this 
departure  of  Aaron  broke  sharply  one  other  link  that 
still  bound  Israel  with  its  past.  The  old  times  were 
receding,  the  new  had  not  yet  come  into  sight. 

The  life  of  a  good  man  may  close  mournfully.  While 
some  in  leaving  the  world  cross  cheerfully  the  river 
beyond  which  the  smiling  fields  of  the  heavenly  land 
are  full  in  view,  others  there  are  who,  even  with  the 
faith  of  the  Conqueror  of  death  to  sustain  them,  have 
no  gladdening  prospect  at  the  last.  Only  from  a 
distance  Aaron  saw  the  Land  of  Promise  ;  from  so  great 
a  distance  that  its  beauty  and  fruitfulness  could  not 
be  realised.  The  sullen  gleam  of  the  Lake  of  Sodom, 
lying  in  its  grim  hollow,  was  visible  away  to  the  north. 


236  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


Besides  that  the  dim  eyes  could  make  out  little.  But 
Edom  lay  below  ;  and  the  tribes  would  have  a  great 
circuit  round  that  inhospitable  land,  would  have  to 
traverse  another  desert  beyond  the  horizon  to  the  east, 
ere  they  could  reach  Moab  and  draw  near  to  Canaan. 
A  true  patriot,  Aaron  would  think  more  of  the  people 
than  of  himself.  And  the  confidence  he  had  in  the 
friendliness  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  his  brother  would 
scarcely  dispel  the  shadow  that  settled  on  him  as 
he  forecast  the  journey  of  the  tribes  and  saw  the 
difficulties  they  were  yet  to  meet.  So  not  a  few  are 
called  away  from  the  world  when  the  great  ends  for 
which  they  have  toiled  are  still  remote.  The  cause  of 
liberty  or  of  reformation  with  which  life  has  been 
identified  may  even  appear  farther  from  success  than 
years  before.  Or  again,  the  close  of  life  may  be 
darkened  by  family  troubles  more  pressing  than  any 
that  were  experienced  earlier.  A  man  may  be  heavily 
burdened  without  distrusting  God  on  his  own  account, 
or  doubting  that  in  the  long  run  all  shall  be  well.  He 
may  be  troubled  because  the  immediate  prospect  shows 
no  escape  from  painful  endurance  for  those  he  loves. 
He  does  not  sorrow  perhaps  that  he  has  found  the 
promises  of  life  to  be  illusory  ;  but  he  is  grieved  for 
dear  friends  who  must  yet  make  that  discovery,  who 
shall  travel  many  a  league  and  never  win  the  battle  or 
pass  beyond  the  wilderness. 

The  mind  of  Aaron  as  he  went  to  his  death  was 
darkened  by  the  consciousness  of  a  great  failure. 
Kadesh  lay  westward  across  the  valley,  and  the  thought 
of  what  took  place  there  was  with  the  brothers  as  they 
climbed  Mount  Hor  and  stood  upon  its  summit.  They 
had  repented,  but  they  had  not  yet  forgiven  themselves. 
How  could  they,  when  they  saw  in  the  temper  of  the 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  237 

people  too  plain  proofs  that  their  lese-majesty  had 
borne  evil  fruit  ?  It  needs  much  faith  to  be  sure  that 
God  will  remedy  the  evil  we  have  done ;  and  so  long  as 
the  means  cannot  be  seen,  the  shadow  of  self-reproach 
must  remain.  Many  a  good  man,  climbing  the  last 
slope,  feels  the  burden  of  transgressions  committed 
long  before.  He  has  done  his  utmost  to  restore  the 
defences  of  truth  and  rebuild  the  altars  of  witness 
which  in  thoughtless  youth  or  proud  manhood  he  cast 
down.  But  circumstances  have  hindered  the  work  of 
reparation ;  and  many  who  saw  his  sin  have  passed  far 
beyond  the  reach  of  his  repentance.  The  thought  of 
past  faults  may  sadly  obscure  the  close  of  a  Christian 
life.  The  end  would  indeed  be  hopeless  often  were  it 
not  for  trust  in  the  omnipotent  grace  which  brings 
again  that  which  was  driven  away  and  binds  up  that 
which  was  broken.  Yet  since  the  very  work  of  God  and 
the  victory  of  Christ  are  made  more  difficult  by  things 
a  believer  has  done,  is  it  possible  that  he  should  always 
have  happy  recollections  of  the  past  as  life  draws  near 
its  end  ? 

It  was  no  doubt  honourable  to  Aaron  that  his  death 
was  appointed  to  be  on  that  mountain  in  Seir.  Old  as 
he  was,  he  would  never  think  of  complaining  that  he  was 
ordained  to  climb  it.  Yet  to  the  tired  limbs  it  was 
a  steep,  difficult  path,  a  way  of  sorrow.  Here,  also, 
we  find  resemblance  to  the  close  of  many  a  worthy  life. 
High  office  in  the  Church  has  been  well  served,  over- 
flowing wealth  has  been  used  in  beneficence ;  but  at 
the  last  reverses  have  come.  The  man  who  was  always 
prosperous  is  now  stripped  of  his  possessions.  Darkened 
in  mind  by  successive  losses,  bereaved  of  friends  and 
of  power,  he  has  to  climb  a  dreary  mountain-path  to 
the  sharp  end.      It  may  be  really  honourable  to  such 


238  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

a  man  that  God  has  thus  appointed  his  death  to  be  not 
in  the  midst  of  luxury,  but  on  the  rugged  peak  of  loss. 
Understanding  things  aright,  he  should  say  :  "The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ;  blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  Lord."  But  if  dependence  is  felt  as  shame, 
if  he  who  gave  freely  to  others  feels  it  a  sore  thing  to 
receive  from  others,  who  can  have  the  heart  to  blame 
the  good  man  because  he  does  not  triumph  here  ?  And 
if  he  has  to  climb  alone,  no  Eleazar  with  him,  scarcely 
one  human  aid,  what  shall  we  say?  Now  Hfe  must 
gird  itself  and  go  whither  it  would  not.  Sad  is  the 
journey,  but  not  into  night.  The  Christian  does  not 
impeach  Divine  providence  nor  grieve  that  earthly  good 
is  finally  taken  away.  Though  his  life  has  been  in  his 
generosity,  not  in  his  possessions,  yet  he  will  confess 
that  the  last  bitter  trial  is  needful  to  the  perfecting  of 
faith. 

Should  the  believer  triumph  over  death  through 
Christ  ?  It  is  his  privilege ;  but  some  display  unwar- 
ranted complacency.  They  have  confidence  in  the  work 
of  Christ ;  they  boast  that  they  rest  everything  on  Him. 
But  is  it  well  with  them  if  they  have  no  sorrow  because . 
of  days  and  years  that  ran  to  waste  ?  Is  it  well  with 
them  if  they  deplore  no  failure  in  Christian  effort  when 
the  reason  is  that  they  never  gave  heart  and  strength 
to  any  difficult  task  ?  Who  can  be  satisfied  with  the 
apparent  victory  of  faith  at  the  last  of  one  who  never 
had  high  hopes  for  himself  and  others,  and  therefore 
was  never  disappointed  ?  Better  the  sorrowful  ending 
to  a  life  that  has  dared  great  things  and  been  defeated, 
that  has  cherished  a  pure  ideal  and  come  painfully  short 
of  it,  than  the  exultation  of  those  who  even  as  Christians 
have  lived  to  themselves. 

Perhaps   the  circumstances   that  attended  the  death 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  239 

of  Aaron  were  to  him  the  finest  discipHne  of  life. 
CUmbing  the  steep  slope  at  the  command  of  God,  would 
he  not  feel  himself  brought  into  a  closer  relation  with 
the  Eternal  Will  ?  Would  he  not  feel  himself  separated 
from  the  world  and  gathered  up  into  the  quiet  massive- 
ness  of  life  with  Him  who  is  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting ?  The  years  of  a  high  priest,  dealing  constantly 
with  sacred  things  and  symbols,  might  easily  fall  into 
a  routine  not  more  helpful  to  generous  thought  and 
spiritual  exaltation  than  the  habits  of  secular  life.  One 
might  exist  among  sacrifices  and  purifications  till  the 
mind  became  aware  of  nothing  beyond  ritual  and 
its  orderly  performance.  True,  this  had  not  been 
the  case  with  Aaron  during  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  time  since  he  began  his  duties.  There  had  been 
many  events  by  means  of  which  Jehovah  broke  in  upon 
the  priests  with  His  great  demands.  But  thirty-seven 
years  had  been  comparatively  uneventful.  And  now 
the  little  world  of  camp  and  tabernacle  court,  the  sacred 
shrine  with  its  ark,  the  symbolic  dwelling-place  of  God, 
must  have  their  contrast  in  the  broad  spaces  filled  with 
gleaming  light,  the  blue  vault,  the  widespread  hills  and 
valleys,  the  heavens  which  are  Jehovah's  throne,  the 
earth  which  is  His  footstool.  The  bustle  of  Israel's 
little  life  is  left  behind  for  the  calm  of  the  mountain 
land.  The  high  priest  finds  another  vestibule  of  the 
dwelling  of  Jehovah  than  that  which  he  has  been  accus- 
tomed to  enter  with  sprinkled  blood  and  the  pungent 
fumes  of  the  incense. 

Is  it  not  good  thus  to  be  called  away  from  the  busi- 

,  ness  of  the  world,  immersed  in  which  every  day  men 

have  lost  the  due  proportions  of  things,  both  of  what 

is  earthly  and  what  is  spiritual  ?     They  have  to  leave 

the  computations  recorded   in   their   books,    and  what 


240 


THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


bulks  largely  in  the  gossip  of  the  way  and  the  news  of 
the  town ;  they  are  to  climb  where  greater  spaces  can 
be  seen,  and  human  life,  both  as  brief  and  as  immortal, 
shall  be  understood  in  its  relations  to  God.  Often 
those  who  have  this  call  addressed  to  them  are  most 
unwilling  to  obey.  It  is  painful  to  lose  the  old  standards 
of  proportion,  to  hear  no  longer  the  familiar  noise  of 
wheels,  to  see  no  machinery,  no  desks,  no  ledgers,  to 
read  no  newspapers,  to  have  the  quiet,  the  slow-moving 
days,  the  moonless  or  moonlit  nights.  But  if  reflection 
follows,  as  it  should,  and  brings  wisdom,  the  change 
has  saved  a  man  who  was  near  to  being  lost.  The  things 
he  toiled  for  once,  as  well  as  the  things  he  dreaded,— 
that  success,  this  breath  of  adverse  opinion, — seem  little 
in  the  new  light,  scarcely  disturb  the  new  atmosphere. 
One  thus  called  apart  with  God,  learning  what  are  the 
real  elements  of  life,  may  look  with  pity  on  his  former 
self,  yet  gather  out  of  the  experience  that  had  small 
value,  for  the  most  part,  here  and  there  a  jewel  of  price. 
And  the  wise,  becoming  wiser,  will  feel  preparation 
made  for  the  greater  existence  that  lies  beyond. 

Moses  accompanied  his  brother  to  the  mountain  top. 
By  his  hands,  with  all  considerateness,  the  priestly 
robes  were  taken  from  Aaron's  shoulders  and  put  on 
Eleazar.  The  true  friend  he  had  all  along  relied  upon 
was  with  the  dying  man  at  the  last,  and  closed  his  eyes. 
In  this  there  was  a  palliation  of  the  decree  under  which 
it  would  have  been  terrible  to  suffer  alone ;  yet  in  the 
end  the  loneHness  of  death  had  to  be  felt.  We  know 
a  Friend  who  passed  through  death  for  us,  and  made  a 
way  into  the  higher  life,  but  still  we  have  our  dread  of 
the  solitude.  How  much  heavier  must  it  have  weighed 
when  no  clear  hope  of  immortality  shone  upon  the  hill. 
The  vastness  of  nature  was  around  the  dying  priest  of 


XX.]  SORROW  AND  FAILURE  AT  KADESH  241 

Israel,  his  face  was  turned  to  the  skies.  But  the  thrill 
of  Divine  love  we  find  in  the  touch  of  Christ  did  not 
reassure  him.  "  These  all  .  .  .  received  not  the  promise, 
God  having  provided  some  better  thing  concerning  us, 
that  apart  from  us  they  should  not  be  made  perfect." 

Eleazar  followed  Aaron  and  took  up  the  work  of 
the  priesthood,  not  less  ably,  let  us  believe,  yet  not 
precisely  with  the  same  spirit,  the  same  endowments. 
And  indeed  to  have  one  in  all  respects  like  Aaron 
would  not  have  served.  The  new  generation,  in  new 
circumstances,  needs  a  new  minister.  Office  remains  ; 
but,  as  history  moves  on,  it  means  always  something 
different.  When  the  hour  comes  that  requires  a  clear 
step  to  be  taken  away  from  old  notions  and  traditions 
of  duty,  neither  he  who  holds  the  office  nor  those  to 
whom  he  has  ministered  should  complain  or  doubt. 
It  is  not  good  that  one  should  cling  to  work  merely 
because  he  has  served  well  and  may  still  seem  able 
to  serve  ;  often  it  is  the  case  that  before  death  com- 
mands a  change  the  time  for  one  has  come.  Even  the 
men  who  are  most  useful  to  the  world,  Paul,  Apollos, 
Luther,  do  not  die  too  soon.  It  may  appear  to  us 
that  a  man  who  has  done  noble  work  has  no  successor. 
When,  for  instance,  England  loses  its  Dr.  Arnold, 
Stanley,  Lightfoot,  and  we  look  in  vain  for  one  to 
whom  the  robes  are  becoming,  we  have  to  trust  that 
by  some  education  they  did  not  foresee  the  Church  has 
to  be  perfected.  The  same  theory,  nominally,  is  not 
the  same  when  others  undertake  to  apply  it.  The 
same  ceremonies  have  another  meaning  when  performed 
by  other  hands.  There  are  ways  to  the  full  fruition 
of  Christ's  government  which  go  as  far  about  as 
Israel's  to  Canaan  round  the  land  of  Moab,  for  a 
time   as    truly  retrogressive.      But    the   great   Leader 

16 


242  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


the  one  High  Priest  of  the  new  covenant,  never  fails 
His  Church  or  His  world,  and  the  way  that  does 
not  hasten,  as  well  as  that  which  makes  straight  for 
the  goal,  is  within  His  purpose,  leads  to  the  fulfilment 
among  men  of  His  mediatorial  design. 


■    XVII 

THE  LAST  MARCH  AND   THE  FIRST  CAMPAIGN 
Numbers  xxi 

IT  has  been  suggested  in  a  previous  chapter  that 
the  repulse  of  the  IsraeHtes  by  the  King  of  Arad 
took  place  on  the  occasion  when,  after  the  return  of 
the  spies,  a  portion  of  the  army  endeavoured  to  force 
its  way  into  Canaan.  If  that  explanation  of  the  passage 
with  which  chap.  xxi.  opens  cannot  be  accepted,  then 
the  movements  of  the  tribes  after  they  were  driven 
back  from  Edom  must  have  been  singularly  vacillating. 
Instead  of  turning  southward  along  the  Arabah  they 
appear  to  have  moved  northward  from  Mount  Hor  and 
made  an  attempt  to  enter  Canaan  at  the  southern  end 
of  the  Dead  .Sea.  Arad  was  in  the  Negeb  or  South 
Country,  and  the  Canaanites  there,  keeping  guard, 
must  have  descended  from  the  hills  and  inflicted  a 
defeat  which  finally  closed  that  way. 

From  the  time  of  the  departure  from  Kadesh  onward 
no  mention  is  made  of  the  pillar  of  cloud.  It  may 
have  still  moved  as  the  standard  of  the  host ;  yet  the 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  pass  through  Edom,  followed 
possibly  by  a  northward  march,  and  then  by  a  south- 
ward journey  to  the  Elanitic  Gulf  when  they  *'  com- 
passed Mount  Seir  many  days"  (Deut.  ii.  i),  would 
appear  to  prove  that  the  authoritative  guidance  had  in 

243 


244  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

some  way  failed.  It  is  a  suggestion,  which,  however, 
can  only  be  advanced  with  diffidence,  that  after  the  day 
at  Kadesh  when  the  words  fell  from  Moses'  lips,  **  Hear 
now,  ye  rebels,"  his  power  as  a  leader  declined,  and  that 
the  guidance  of  the  march  fell  mainly  into  the  hands  of 
Joshua, — a  brave  soldier  indeed,  but  no  acknowledged 
representative  of  Jehovah.  It  is  at  all  events  clear 
that  attempts  had  now  to  be  made  in  one  direction 
and  another  to  find  a  feasible  route.  Moses  may  have 
retired  from  the  command,  partly  on  account  of  age, 
but  even  more  because  he  felt  that  he  had  in  part 
lost  his  authority.  Israel,  moreover,  had  to  become  a 
military  nation  :  and  Moses,  though  nominally  the 
head  of  the  tribes,  had  to  stand  aside  to  a  great  extent 
that  the  new  development  might  proceed.  In  a  short 
time  Joshua  would  be  sole  leader  ;  already  he  appears 
to  hold  the  military  command. 

The  journey  from  Mount  Hor  to  the  borders  of  Moab 
by  way  of  the  Red  Sea,  or  Yam-Suph,  is  very  briefly 
noticed  in  the  narrative.  Oboth,  lye-abarim,  Zared, 
are  the  only  three  names  mentioned  in  chap.  xxi.  be- 
fore the  border  of  Moab  is  reached.  Chap,  xxxiii. 
gives  Zalmonah,  Punon,  Oboth,  and  lastly  lye-abarim, 
which  is  said  to  be  in  the  border  of  Moab.  The  men- 
tion of  these  names  suggests  nothing  as  to  the  extremely 
trying  nature  of  the  journey  ;  that  is  only  indicated  by 
the  statement,  "  the  soul  of  the  people  was  much  dis- 
couraged because  of  the  way."  The  truth  is,  that  of  all 
the  stages  of  the  wandering,  these  along  the  Arabah,  and 
from  the  Elanitic  Gulf  eastward  and  northward  to  the 
valley  of  Zared,  were  perhaps  the  most  difficult  and 
perilous.  The  Wady  Arabah  is  "  an  expanse  of  shifting 
sands,  broken  by  innumerable  undulations,  and  counter- 
sected  by  a  hundred  watercourses."     Along  this  plain 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      245 

the  route  lay  for  fifty  miles,  in  the  track  of  the  furious 
sirocco  and  amidst  terrible  desolation.  Turning  east- 
ward from  the  palm-groves  of  Elath  and  the  beautiful 
shores  of  the  Gulf,  the  way  next  entered  a  tract  of  the 
Arabian  wilderness  outside  the  border  of  Edom.  Oboth 
lay,  perhaps,  east  from  Maan,  still  an  inhabited  city, 
and  the  point  of  departure  for  one  who  journeys  from 
Palestine  into  central  Arabia.  Out  from  Maan  this 
desert  lies,  and  is  thus  described  : — "  Before  and  around 
us  extended  a  wide  and  level  plain,  blackened  over 
with  countless  pebbles  of  basalt  and  flint,  except  when 
the  moonbeams  gleamed  white  on  little  intervening 
patches  of  clear  sand,  or  on  yellowish  streaks  of  withered 
grass,  the  scanty  produce  of  the  winter  rains,  and  now 
dried  into  hay.  Over  all  a  deep  silence  which  even  our 
Arab  companions  seemed  fearful  of  breaking  ;  when  they 
spoke  it  was  in  a  half  whisper  and  in  few  words,  while 
the  noiseless  tread  of  our  camels  sped  stealthily  but 
rapidly  through  the  gloom  without  disturbing  its  still- 
ness." *  For  one  hundred  miles  the  route  for  Israel 
lay  through  this  wilderness  ;  and  it  is  hardly  possible 
to  escape  the  conviction  that  although  little  is  said  of 
the  experiences  of  the  way  the  tribes  must  have  suffered 
enormously  and  been  greatly  reduced  in  number.  As 
for  cattle,  we  must  conclude  that  hardly  any  survived. 
Where  camels  sustain  themselves  with  the  greatest 
difficulty,  oxen  and  sheep  would  certainly  perish.  There 
had  come  the  necessity  for  a  rapid  advance,  to  be  made 
at  whatever  hazard.  All  that  would  retard  the  progress 
of  the  people  had  to  be  sacrificed.  There  is  indeed 
some  ground  for  the  supposition  that  part  of  the  tribes 
remained  near  Kadesh  while  the  main  body  made  the 

*  Palgrave,  "Central  and  Eastern  Arabia,"  p.  2. 


246  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


long  and  perilous  detour.  The  army  entering  Canaan 
by  way  of  Jericho  would  as  soon  as  possible  open  com- 
munication with  those  who  had  been  left  behind. 

The  only  recorded  episode  belonging  to  the  period 
of  this  march  is  that  of  the  fiery  serpents.  In  the 
Arabah  and  the  whole  North  Arabian  region  the  cobra, 
or  naja  haie^  is  common,  and  is  superstitiously  dreaded. 
Other  serpents  are  so  innocuous  by  comparison  that 
this  chiefly  receives  the  attention  of  travellers.  One 
incident  is  recorded  thus  by  Mr.  Stuart-Glennie : — 
^^  Two  cobras  have  been  caught,  and  one,  which  has 
been  dexterously  pinned  by  the  neck  in  the  slit  end 
of  a  stick,  its  captor  comes  up  triumphantly  to  exhibit. 
.  .  .  After  a  time  the  fellow  let  it  go,  refusing  to  kill 
it,  and  permitting  it  to  glide  away  unharmed.  This 
I  understood  to  be  from  fear — fear  of  the  vengeance 
after  death  of  what,  in  life,  had  been  incapable  of 
defending  itself.  At  Petra  ...  the  snakes  which 
Hamilton,  a  fearless  hunter  of  them,  killed,  the  Arabs 
would  not  allow  to  lie  within  the  encampment,  asserting 
that  we  should  thus  bring  the  whole  snake-tribe  to 
which  the  individual  belonged  to  avenge  the  death  of 
their  kinsman."  Whether  all  the  serpents  that  attacked 
the  Israelites  were  cobras  is  doubtful ;  but  the  descrip- 
tion "  fiery  "  seems  to  point  to  the  effects  of  the  cobra- 
poison,  which  produces  an  intense  burning  sensation 
in  the  whole  body.  Another  explanation  of  the 
adjective  is  found  in  the  metallic  sparkle  of  the  reptiles. 

^*  Much  people  of  Israel  died  "  of  the  bites  of  these 
serpents,  which,  disturbed  by  the  travellers  as  they 
went  sullenly  and  carelessly  along,  issued  from  crevices 
of  the  ground  and  from  the  lov/  shrubs  in  which  they 
lurked,  and  at  once  fastened  on  feet  and  ha  ads.  The 
pecuhar  character  of  the  new  enemy  caused  universal 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      247 


alarm.  As  one  and  another  fell  writhing  to  the 
ground,  and  after  a  few  convulsive  movements  died 
in  agony,  a  feeling  of  terrified  revulsion  spread  through 
the  ranks.  Pestilence  was  natural,  familiar,  as  com- 
pared with  this  new  punishment  which  their  murmuring 
about  the  light  food  and  the  thirst  of  the  desert  had 
brought  on  them.  The  serpent,  lithe  and  subtle, 
scarcely  seen  in  the  twilight,  creeping  into  the  tents 
at  night,  quick  at  any  moment,  without  provocation,  to 
use  its  poisoned  fangs,  has  appeared  the  hereditary 
enemy  of  man.  As  the  instrument  of  the  Tempter 
it  was  connected  with  the  origin  of  human  misery  ; 
it  appeared  the  embodied  evil  which  from  the  very 
dust  sprang  forth  to  seek  the  evil-doer.  Many  ways 
had  Jehovah  of  reaching  men  who  showed  distrust 
and  resented  His  will.  This  was  in  a  sense  the  most 
dreadful. 

The  serpents  that  lurked  in  the  Israelites'  way  and 
darted  suddenly  upon  them  are  always  felt  to  be 
analogues  of  the  subtle  sins  that  spring  on  man  and 
poison  his  life.  What  traveller  knows  the  moment 
when  he  may  feel  in  his  soul  the  sharp  sting  of  evil 
desire  that  will  burn  in  him  to  a  deadly  fever  ?  Men 
who  have  been  wounded  can,  for  a  time,  hide  from 
fellow-travellers  their  mortal  hurt.  They  keep  on  the 
march  and  make  shift  to  look  like  others.  Then  the 
madness  reveals  itself.  Words  are  spoken,  deeds  are 
done,  that  show  the  vile  inoculation  taking  effect.  By- 
and-by  there  is  another  moral  death.  Humanity  may 
well  fear  the  power  of  evil  thoughts,  of  lusts,  of 
envious  feelings,  that  serpent-like  attack  and  madden 
the  soul ;  may  well  look  up  and  cry  aloud  to  God  for 
a  sufficient  remedy.  No  herb  nor  balm  to  be  found 
in  the  gardens  or  fields  of  earth  is  an  antidote  to  this 


248  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


poison ;  nor  can  the  surgeon  excise  the  tainted  flesh, 
or  destroy  the  virus  by  any  brand  of  penance. 

Resuming  his  generous  part  as  intercessor  for  the 
people,  Moses  sought  and  found  the  means  to  help 
them.  He  was  to  make  a  serpent  of  brass,  an  image 
of  the  foe,  and  erect  it  on  a  standard  full  in  sight  of  the 
camp,  and  to  it  the  eyes  of  the  stricken  people  were 
to  be  turned.  If  they  realised  the  Divine  purpose  of 
grace  and  trusted  Jehovah  while  they  looked,  the  power 
of  the  poison  would  be  destroyed.  The  serpent  of  brass 
was  nothing  in  itself,  w^as,  as  long  afterwards  Hezekiah 
declared  it  to  be,  nehushtan ;  but  as  a  symbol  of  the 
help  and  salvation  of  God  it  served  the  end.  The 
stricken  revived  :  the  camp,  almost  in  a  panic  through 
superstitious  fear,  was  calmed.  Once  more  it  was 
known  that  He  who  smote  the  sinful,  in  wrath  remem- 
bered mercy.  It  must  be  assumed  that  there  was 
repentance  and  faith  on  the  part  of  those  who  looked. 
The  serpents  appear  as  the  means  of  punishment,  and 
the  poison  loses  its  effect  with  the  growth  of  the  new 
spirit  of  submission.  It  has  rightly  been  pointed  out 
that  the  heathen  view  of  the  serpent  as  a  healing  power 
has  no  countenance  here.  That  singular  belief  must 
have  had  its  origin  in  the  worship  of  the  serpent  which 
arose  from  dread  of  it  as  an  embodiment  of  demoniacal 
energy.  Our  passage  treats  it  as  a  creature  of  God, 
ready,  like  the  lightning  and  the  pestilence,  or  like  the 
frogs  and  insects  of  the  Egyptian  plagues,  to  be  used 

ras  an  instrument  in  bringing  home  to  men  their  sins. 
And  when  our  Lord  recalled  the  episode  of  the 
healing  of  Israel  by  means  of  the  brazen  serpent.  He 
certainly  did  not  mean  that  the  image  in  itself  was  in 
any  sense  a  type  or  even  symbol  of  Him.  It  was  lifted 
up;  He  was  to  be  Hfted  up  :  it  was  to  be  looked  upon 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      249 


with  the  gaze  of  repentance  and  faith ;  He  is  to  be 
regarded,  as  He  hangs  on  the  cross,  with  the  contrite, 
beUeving  look :  it  signified  the  gracious  interposition 
of  God,  who  was  Himself  the  True  Healer ;  Christ  is 
lifted  up  and  gives  Himself  on  the  cross  in  accordance 
with  the  Father's  will,  to  reveal  and  convey  His  love — 
these  are  the  points  of  similarity.  **  As  Moses  lifted  up 
the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  Man  be  lifted  up."  The  uplifting,  the  heaUng,  are 
symbolic.  The  serpent-image  fades  out  of  sight.  Christ 
is  seen  giving  Himself  in  generous  love,  showing  us 
the  way  of  life  when  He  dies,  the  just  for  the  unjust. 
He  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  With  Him 
we  die  that  He  may  live  in  us.  He  judges  us,  con- 
demns us  as  sinners,  and  at  the  same  time  turns  our 
judgment  into  acquittal,  our  condemnation  into  liberty. 
Israel's  past  and  the  grace  of  Jehovah  to  the  stricken 
tribes  are  connected  by  our  Lord's  words  with  the 
redemption  provided  through  His  own  sacrifice.  The 
Divine  Healer  of  humanity  is  there  and  here ;  but  here 
in  spiritual  life,  in  quickening  grace,  not  in  an  empirical 
symbol.  Christ  on  the  cross  is  no  mere  sign  of  a 
higher  energy;  the  very  energy  is  with  Him,  most 
potent  when  He  dies.  ^ 

Like  the  serpent  poison,  that  of  sin  creates  a  burning 
fever,  a  mortal  disease.  But  into  all  the  springs  and 
channels  of  infected  life  the  renovating  grace  of  God 
enters  through  the  long  deep  look  of  faith.  We  see 
the  Man,  our  brother,  full  of  sympathy,  the  Son  of  God 
our  sin-bearer.  The  pity  is  profound  as  our  need ;  the 
strong  spiritual  might,  sin-conquering,  life-giving,  is 
enough  for  each,  more  than  sufficient  for  all.  We  look 
— to  wonder,  to  hope,  to  trust,  to  love,  to  rejoice  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.     We  see  our  con- 


2SO  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

demnation,  the  handwriting  of  ordinances  that  is  against 
us — and  we  see  it  cancelled  through  the  sacrifice  of 
our  Divine  Redeemer.  Is  it  the  death  that  moves  us 
first  ?  Then  we  perceive  love  stronger  than  death, 
love  that  can  never  die.  Our  souls  go  forth  to  find 
that  love,  they  are  bound  by  it  for  ever  to  the  Infinite 
Truth,  the  Eternal  Purity,  the  Immortal  Life.  We 
find  ourselves  at  length  whole  and  strong,  fit  for  the 
enterprises  of  God.  The  trumpet  call  is  heard;  we 
respond  with  joy.  We  will  fight  the  good  fight  of 
faith,  suffering  and  achieving  all  through  Christ. 

At  lye-abarim,  the  Heaps  of  the  Outlands,  "  which 
is  toward  the  sunrising,"  the  worst  of  the  desert  march 
was  over.  That  the  long  and  dreary  wilderness  did 
not  swallow  up  the  host  is,  humanly  speaking,  matter 
of  astonishment.  Yet  singular  light  is  thrown  on  the 
journey  by  an  incident  recorded  by  Mr.  Palmer.  In 
the  midst  of  the  broken  country  extending  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  ancient  Kadesh  to  the  Arabah, 
he  and  his  companions  encamped  at  the  head  of  the 
Wady  Abu  Taraimeh,  which  slopes  to  the  south-east. 
Here  in  the  midst  of  the  desolate  mountains  a  quite 
young  girl,  small,  solitary  traveller,  was  found.  She 
was  on  her  way'  to  Abdeh,  some  twenty  miles  behind, 
and  had  come  from  a  place  called  Hesmeh,  six  days' 
journey  beyond  Akabah,  a  distance  of  some  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.  "  She  had  been  without  bread  or 
water,  and  had  only  eaten  a  few  herbs  to  support 
herself  by  the  way."  The  simple  trust  of  the  child 
could  achieve  what  strong  men  might  have  pronounced 
impossible.  And  the  IsraeHtes,  knowing  little  of  the 
road,  trusted  and  hoped  and  pressed  on  till  the  green 
hills  of  Moab  were  at  last  in  sight.     The  march  was 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      251 

eastward  of  the  present  highway,  which  keeps  within 
the  border  of  Edom  and  passes  through  El  Buseireh, 
the  ancient  Bozrah.  We  may  suppose  that  the 
Israehtes  followed  a  track  afterwards  chosen  for  a 
Roman  road  and  still  traceable.  The  valley  of  Zared, 
perhaps  the  modern  Feranjy,  would  be  reached  about 
fifteen  miles  east  from  the  southern  gulf  of  the  Dead 
Sea.  Thence,  striking  on  a  watercourse  and  keeping 
to  the  desert  side  of  Ar,  the  modern  Rabba,  the 
Hebrews  would  have  a  march  of  about  twenty  miles 
to  the  Arnon,  which  at  that  time  formed  the  boundary 
between  Moab  and  the  Amorites. 

At  this  point  the  history  incorporates,  why  we  cannot 
tell,  part  of  an  old  song  from  the  "  Book  of  the  Wars 
of  Jehovah." 

"Vaheb  in  Suphah, 
And  the  vallej's  of  Arnon, 
And  the  slope  of  the  valleys 
That  inclineth  toward  the  dwelling  of  Ar, 
And  leaneth  upon  the  border  of  Moab." 

The  picturesque  topography  of  this  chant,  the  meaning 
of  which  as  a  whole  is  obscured  for  us  by  the  first 
line,  may  be  the  sole  reason  of  its  quotation.  If  we 
read  **  Vaheb  in  storm  "  we  have  a  word-picture  of  the 
scene  under  impressive  conditions  ;  and  if  the  storm 
is  that  of  war  the  relique  may  belong  to  the  time 
of  the  contest  described  in  ver.  26  when  the  Amorite 
chief,  crossing  Jordan,  gained  the  northern  heights  and 
drove  the  Moabites  in  confusion  across  the  Arnon 
toward  the  stronghold  of  Ar,  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles  to  the  south.  Yet  another  ancient  song  is 
connected  with  a  station  called  Beer,  or  the  Well, 
some  spot  in  the  wilderness  north  of  the  Arnon  valley. 


252  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Moses  points  out  the  place  where  water  may  be  found, 
and  as  the  digging  goes  on  the  chant  is  heard  : 

"  Spring  up,  O  well ;  sing  ye  unto  it : 
The  well  which  the  princes  digged, 
Which  the  nobles  of  the  people  delved, 
With  the  sceptre,  and  with  their  staves. 

The  seeking  of  the  precious  water  by  rude  art  in  a 
thirsty  valley  kindles  the  mind  of  some  poet  of  the 
people.  And  his  song  is  spirited,  with  ample  recognition 
of  the  zeal  of  the  princes  who  themselves  take  part  in 
the  labour.  While  they  dig  he  chants,  and  the  people 
join  in  the  song  till  the  words  are  fixed  in  their 
memory,  so  as  to  become  part  of  the  traditions  of  Israel. 
The  finding  of  a  spring,  the  discovery  that  by  their 
own  effort  they  can  reach  the  living  water  laid  up  for 
them  beneath  the  sand,  is  an  event  to  the  Israelites, 
worth  preserving  in  a  national  ballad.  What  does 
this  imply  ?  That  the  resources  of  nature  and  the 
means  of  unlocking  them  were  still  only  beginning  to 
be  understood  ?  We  are  almost  compelled  to  think  so, 
whatever  conclusions  this  may  involve.  And  Israel, 
slowly  finding  out  the  Divine  provision  lying  beneath 
the  surface  of  things,  is  a  type  of  those  who  very 
gradually  discover  the  possibilities  that  are  concealed 
beneath  the  seemingly  ordinary  and  unpromising.  By 
the  beaten  tracks  of  life,  in  its  arid  valleys,  there  are, 
for  those  who  dig,  wells  of  comfort,  springs  of  truth 
and  salvation.  Men  are  athirst  for  inspiration,  for 
power.  They  think  of  these  as  endowments  for  which 
they  must  wait.  In  point  of  fact  they  have  but  to  open 
the  fountains  of  conscience  and  of  generous  feeling 
in  order  to  find  what  they  desire.  Multitudes  faint  by 
the  way  because  they  will  not  seek  for  themselves  the 
water  of  Divine   truth   that    would    reinvigorate    their 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FHiST  CAMPAIGN      253 

being.  When  we  trust  to  wells  opened  by  others  we 
cannot  obtain  the  supply  suited  to  our  special  need. 
Each  for  himself  must  discover  Divine  providence,  duty, 
conviction,  the  springs  of  repentance  and  of  love.  The 
many  wait,  and  never  get  beyond  spiritual  dependence. 
The  few,  some  with  sceptre,  some  with  staff,  dig  for 
themselves  and  for  the  rest  wells  of  new  ardour  and 
sustaining  thought.  The  whole  of  human  life,  we  may 
say,  has  beneath  its  surface  veins  and  rills  of  heavenly 
water.  In  heart  and  conscience  we  can  find  the  will 
of  our  Maker,  the  springs  of  His  promises,  revelations 
of  His  power  and  love.  More  than  we  know  of  the 
living  water  that  flows  through  the  world  of  humanity 
like  a  river  has  its  source  in  springs  that  have  been 
dug  in  waste  places  by  those  who  reflected,  who  saw 
in  man's  world  and  man's  soul  the  work  of  the  "  faithful 
Creator." 

From  Beer  in  the  wilderness  the  march  skirted  the 
green  fields  and  valleys  of  the  country  once  held  by 
the  Moabites,  now  under  Sihon  the  Amorite.  When 
they  had  gone  but  a  few  stages  along  this  route  the 
leaders  of  the  host  found  it  necessary  to  enter  into 
negotiations.  They  were  now  some  twenty  miles  only 
by  road  from  the  fords  of  Jordan,  but  Heshbon,  a  strong 
fortress,  confronted  them.  The  Amorites  must  be  either 
conciliated  or  attacked.  This  time  there  was  no  cir- 
cuitous way  that  could  be  taken ;  a  critical  hour  had 
come. 

The  presence  of  the  Amorites  on  the  eastern  side  of 
Jordan  is  accounted  for  in  a  passage  extending  from 
vv.  26-30.  Moab  had  apparently,  as  at  a  later  time 
referred  to  by  one  of  the  prophets,  been  at  ease,  resting 
securely  behind  her  mountain  rampart.     Suddenly  the 


254  THE  \BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Amorite  warriors,  crossing  the  ford  of  Jordan  and 
pressing  up  the  defile,  had  attacked  and  taken  Heshbon  ; 
and  with  the  loss  of  that  fortress  Moab  was  practically 
defenceless.  Field  by  field  the  old  inhabitants  had 
been  driven  back,  out  into  the  desert,  southward  beyond 
the  Arnon.  Even  as  far  as  Ar  itself  the  victors  had 
carried  fire  and  sword.  Retiring,  they  left  all  south 
of  the  Arnon  to  the  Moabites,  and  themselves  occupied 
the  country  from  Arnon  to  Jabbok,  a  stretch  of  sixty 
miles.  The  song  of  vv.  27-30  commemorates  this 
ancient  war : — 

"Come  ye  to  Heshbon, 
Let  the  city  of  Sihon  be  built  and  established ; 
For  a  fire  is  gone  out  of  Heshbon, 
A  flame  from  the  city  of  Sihon : 
It  hath  devoured  Ar  of  Moab, 
The  Lords  of  the  High  Places  of  Arnon. 
Woe  to  thee,  Moab! 
Thou  art  undone,  O  people  of  Chemosh." 

The  chant  rejoicing  over  the  defeated  goes  on  to  tell 
how  the  sons  of  Moab  fled,  and  her  daughters  were 
taken  captive;  how  the  arms  of  the  Amorite  were 
victorious  from  Heshbon  to  Dibon,  over  Nophah  and 
Medeba.  The  Israelites  arriving  soon  after  this  san- 
guinary conflict,  found  the  conquered  region  immediately 
beyond  the  Arnon  open  to  their  advance.  The  Amorites 
had  not  yet  occupied  the  whole  of  the  land ;  their  power 
was  concentrated  about  Heshbon,  which  according  to 
the  song  had  been  rebuilt. 

The  request  made  of  Sihon  to  allow  the  passage  of 
a  people  on  its  way  to  Jordan  and  the  country  beyond 
came  possibly  at  a  time  when  the  Amorites  were  scarcely 
prepared  for  resistance.  They  had  been  successful, 
but  their  forces  were  insufficient  for  the  large  district 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      255 

they  had  taken,  larger  considerably  than  that  on  the 
other  side  of  Jordan  from  which  they  had  migrated. 
In  the  circumstances  Sihon  would  not  grant  the  request. 
These  Israelites  were  bent  on  establishing  themselves  as 
rivals  :  the  answer  accordingly  was  a  refusal,  and  war 
began.  Refreshed  by  the  spoil  of  the  fields  of  Arnon, 
and  now  almost  within  sight  of  Canaan,  the  Hebrew 
fighting  men  were  full  of  ardour.  The  conflict  was 
sharp  and  decisive.  Apparently  in  a  single  battle  the 
power  of  Sihon  was  broken.  Leaving  his  fortress  the 
Amorite  chief  had  gone  out  against  Israel  "  into  the 
wilderness";  and  at  Jahaz  the  fight  went  against 
him.  From  Arnon  to  Jabbok  his  land  lay  open  to  the 
conquerors. 

And  having  once  tasted  success  the  warriors  of 
Israel  did  not  sheathe  their  swords.  The  fortress  of 
Amman  guarded  the  land  of  the  Ammonites  so  strongly 
that  it  seemed  for  the  time  perilous  to  strike  in  that 
direction.  Crossing  the  valley  of  the  Jabbok,  however, 
and  leaving  the  fierce  Ammonites  unattacked,  the 
Israelites  had  Bashan  before  them ;  a  fertile  region 
of  innumerable  streams,  populous,  and  with  many 
strongholds  and  cities.  There  was  hesitation  for  a 
time,  but  the  oracle  of  Jehovah  reassured  the  army. 
Og  the  king  of  Bashan  waited  the  attack  at  Edrei  in 
the  north  of  his  kingdom,  about  forty  miles  east  from 
the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Israel  was  again  victorious.  The 
king  of  Bashan,  his  sons,  and  his  army  were  cut  to 
pieces. 

Such  was  the  rapid  success  the  Israelites  had  in 
their  first  campaign,  amazing  enough,  though  partly 
explained  by  the  strifes  and  wars  which  had  reduced 
the  strength  of  the  peoples  they  attacked.  We  must 
not  suppose,  however,  that  though  the  Amorites    and 


256  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  people  of  Bashan  were  defeated,  their  lands  were 
occupied  or  could  be  occupied  at  once.  What  had  been 
done  was  rather  in  the  way  of  defending  the  passage 
of  the  Jordan  than  providing  a  settlement  for  any 
of  the  tribes.  When  the  Reubenites,  Gadites,  and 
Manassites  came  to  dwell  in  those  districts  east  of  the 
Jordan,  they  had  to  make  good  their  ground  against 
the  old  inhabitants  who  remained. 

The  army  had  passed  into  the  north,  but  the  main 
body  of  the  people  descended  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  Heshbon  by  a  pass  leading  to  the  Jordan  Valley. 
The  return  of  the  victorious  troops  after  a  few  months 
gave  them  the  assurance  that  at  last  they  could  safely 
prepare  for  the  long  expected  entrance  into  the  Land 
of  Promise. 

Suffering  and  the  discipline  of  the  wilderness  had 
educated  the  Israelites  for  the  day  of  action.  By  what 
a  long  and  tedious  journey  they  reached  their  success  I 
Behind  them,  yet  with  them  still,  was  Sinai,  whose 
lightnings  and  awful  voices  made  them  aware  of  the 
power  of  Jehovah  into  covenant  with  whom  they  en- 
tered, whose  law  they  received.  As  a  people  bound 
solemnly  to  the  unseen  Almighty  God  they  left  that 
mountain  and  journeyed  towards  Kadesh.  But  the 
covenant  had  neither  been  thoroughly  accepted  nor 
thoroughly  understood.  They  began  their  march  from 
the  mountain  of  the  Lord  as  the  people  of  Jehovah,  yet 
expecting  that  He  was  to  do  all  for  them,  require  little 
at  their  hands.  Th:^  other  side  of  privilege,  the  duty 
they  owed  to  God,  had  to  be  impressed  by  many  a 
painful  chastisement,  by  the  sorrows  and  disasters  of 
the  way.  Wonderfully,  all  things  considered,  had  they 
sped,  though  their  murmurings  were  the  sign  of  an 
ignorant    rebellious    temper    which    was    incompatible 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      257 


with  any  moral   progress.     By  the  long  delay  in  the 
wilderness  of  Kadesh  that  disposition  had  to  be  cured. 
In  a  region  not  fertile  like  Canaan  itself,  yet  capable 
of  supporting    the    tribes,  they  had    to   forget   Egypt, 
realise  that  forward  not  backward  was  their  only  way, 
that  while  desert  after  desert  intervened  now  between 
them  and  Goshen,  they  were  within  a  day's  march  of 
the   Promised  Land.     But  even  this  was  not  enough. 
Perhaps  they  might  have  crept  gradually  northward  ; 
shifting   their  headquarters   a  few  miles  at  a  time  till 
they  had  taken  possession  of  the  Negeb  and  made  a 
settlement  of  some  kind  in  Canaan.     But  if  they  had 
done  so,  as  a  nation  of  shepherds,  advancing  timorousl}^, 
not   boldly,  they  would  have   had  no   strength  at   the 
opening  of  their  career.     And  it  was  decreed  that  by 
another    door,    in    another    spirit,    they    should    enter. 
Edom  refused  them  access  to  the  east  country.     They 
had  again   to  gird   up   their  loins  for  a  long  journe}^ 
And   that  last  terrible  march   was  the  discipline  they 
required.      Resolutely  kept  to  it   by   their  leader,   on 
through  the  Arabah,  across  the  desert,  to  the  "  Heaps 
of  the    Outlands    towards    the  sunrising"  they  went, 
with    new    need    for    courage,    a    new    call    to   endure 
hardness  every  day.      Did  they   faint  once,  and  turn 
murmurers    again  ?       The    serpents    stung    them    in 
judgment,  and  the  cure  was  provided  in  grace.     They 
learned  once  more   that  it    was    One    they  could    not 
elude  with  whom  they  had  to  do.  One  who  could  be 
severe  and  also  kind,  who  could  strike  and  also  save. 
Decimated,  but  knit  together  as  they  had  never  been, 
the  tribes  reached    the  Arnon.      And    then,   the   first 
trial    of    their    arms    made,    they    knew    themselves    a 
conquering  people,  a  people  with  power,  a  people  with 
a  destiny. 

17 


258  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

It  is  so  in  the  making  of  manhood,  in  the  disciphne 
of  the  soul.     Sinai,  and  the  awful  declarations  of  duty 
and  of  the  Divine  claim  there,  must  enter  into  our  life ; 
it  would  be   light,   frivolous,  and  incapable  otherwise. 
But  the  revelation  of  power  and  righteousness  does  not 
insure  our  submission  to  the  power,  our  conformity  to 
the  righteousness.     Divine  words  have  to  be  followed 
by  Divine    deeds ;    we    have*  to    learn    that    in    God's 
kingdom   there  is  to   be   no   murmuring,  no  shrinking 
even  from  death,  no  turning  back.     It  is  a  lesson  that 
tries  the  generations.     How   many  will  not  learn  it ! 
In  society,  in  the  Church,  the  rebellious  spirit  is  shown 
and   has  to  be  corrected.     At  the  '*  Graves  of  Lust," 
at    the    ''  Place    of  Burning,"    murmurers   are  judged, 
those  who  refuse  God's  way  fall  and  are  left  behind. 
And  when  the  Land  of  Promise  is  in  sight  possession 
of  it  shall  not  be  easily  obtained  by  those  who  are  still 
half-wedded  to  the  old  life,  distrustful  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  and  His  demand  on  the  whole  love  and 
service   of  the   soul.     There   is  indeed  no  heaven  for 
those  who  look  back,  who  even  if  angels  were  to  hurry 
them  on  would  still   lament  the  losses  of  this  life  as 
irremediable.     There  must  be  the  courage  of  the  daring 
soul  that  adventures  all  on  faith,  on  the  Divine  promise, 
on  the  eternity  of  the  spiritual. 

Wherefore,  that  the  earthly  temper  may  be  taken 
out  of  us,  Vv^e  have  to  cross  desert  after  desert,  to  make 
long  circuits  through  the  hot  and  thirsty  wilderness 
even  when  we  think  our  faith  complete  and  our  hope 
nigh  its  fulfilment.  It  is  as  those  who  overcome  we 
are  to  enter  the  kingdom.  Not  as  **the  world's  poor 
routed  leavings,"  not  obtaining  permission  from  Edomites 
or  Amorites  to  slip  ingloriously  through  their  land, 
but  as    those  who  with   the  sword   of  the  Spirit  can 


xxi.]      THE  LAST  MARCH  AND  FIRST  CAMPAIGN      259 


hew  our  own  way  through  falsehoods  and  bring  down 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  as  warriors  of 
God  we  are  to  reach  and  cross  the  border.  How 
many  survive,  having  gone  through  discipline  like 
this  ?  How  many  overcome  and  have  the  right  to 
pass  through  the  gate  into  the  city  ? 


XVIII 

BALAAM  INVOKED 
Numbers  xxii.  1-19 

WHILE  a  part  of  the  army  of  Israel  was  engaged 
in  the  campaign  against  Bashan,  the  tribes  j 
remained  "in  the  plains  of  Moab  beyond  the  Jordan 
at  Jericho."  The  topography  is  given  here,  as  else- 
where, from  the  point  of  view  of  one  dwelHng  in  Canaan  ; 
and  the  locality  indicated  is  a  level  stretch  of  land, 
some  five  or  six  miles  broad,  between  the  river  and  the 
hills.  In  this  plain  there  was  ample  room  for  the 
encampment,  while  along  the  Jordan  and  on  the  slopes 
to  the  east  all  the  produce  of  field  and  garden,  the  spoil 
of  conquest,  was  at  the  disposal  of  the  Israelites.  They 
rested  therefore,  after  their  long  journey,  in  sight  of 
Canaan,  waiting  first  for  the  return  of  the  troops,  then 
for  the  command  to  advance ;  and  the  delay  may  very 
likely  have  extended  to  several  months. 

Now  the  march  of  Israel  had  kept  to  the  desert  side 
of  Moab,  so  that  the  king  and  people  of  that  land  had 
no  reason  to  complain.  But  the  campaign  against  the 
Amorites,  ending  so  quickly  and  decisively  for  the 
invaders,  showed  what  might  have  taken  place  if  they 
had  attacked  Moab,  what  might  yet  come  to  pass  if 
they  turned  southward  instead  of  crossing  the  Jordan. 
And  there  was  great  dismay.     "  Moab  was  sore  afraid 

260 


•  19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  261 


of  the  people,  because  they  were  many  :  and  Moab  was 
distressed  because  of  the  children  of  Israel."  Manifestly 
it  would  have  been  unwise  for  Balak  the  king  of  the 
Moabites  to  attack  Israel  single-handed.  But  others 
might  be  enlisted  against  this  new  and  vigorous  enemy, 
among  them  the  Midianites.  And  to  these  Balak  turned 
to  consult  in  the  emergency. 

By  the  ''  Midianites "  we  must  understand  the 
Bedawin  of  the  time,  the  desert  tribes  which  possibly 
had  their  origin  in  Midian,  east  of  the  Elanitic  Gulf, 
but  were  now  spread  far  and  wide.  On  the  borders 
of  Moab  a  large  and  important  clan  of  this  people  fed 
their  flocks ;  and  to  their  elders  Balak  appealed. 
"  Now,"  he  said,  ''  shall  this  multitude  lick  up  all  that 
is  round  about  us,  as  the  ox  licketh  up  the  grass  of  the 
field."  The  result  of  the  consultation  was  not  an 
expedition  of  war  but  one  of  a  quite  different  kind. 
Even  the  wild  Bedawin  had  been  dismayed  by  the  firm 
resolute  tread  of  the  Israelites,  a  people  marching  on, 
as  no  people  had  ever  been  seen  to  march,  from  far- 
away Egypt  to  find  a  new  home.  The  elders  of  Moab 
and  of  Midian  cannot  decide  on  war ;  but  superstition 
points  to  another  means  of  attack.  May  they  not 
obtain  a  curse  against  Israel,  under  the  influence  of 
which  its  strength  shall  decay  ?  Is  there  not  in  Pethor 
one  who  knows  the  God  of  this  people  and  has  the 
power  of  dreadful  malediction  ?  They  will  send  for 
him ;  Balaam  shall  invoke  disaster  on  the  invaders, 
then  peradventure  Balak  will  prevail,  and  smite  them, 
and  drive  them  out  of  the  land. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  in  what  direction  w^e  are 
to  look  for  Pethor,  the  dwelling-place  of  the  great 
diviner.  It  is  ''  by  the  River,"  that  is  to  say,  by  the 
River  Euphrates.     It  is  in  Aram,  for  thence   Balaam 


262  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

says  Balak  has  brought  him.  It  is  in  ''the  land  of  the 
children  of  Ammo  "  (xxii.  5),  for  such  is  the  preferable 
translation  of  the  words  rendered  ''  children  of  his 
people."  The  situation  of  Pethor  has  been  made  out. 
"At  an  early  period  in  Assyrian  research,"  sa^^s  Mr. 
A.  H.  Sayce/  "  Pethor  was  identified  by  Dr.  Hincks 
with  the  Pitru  of  the  cuneiform  inscriptions.  Pitru 
stood  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Euphrates,  close  to 
its  junction  with  the  Sajur,  and  a  little  to  the  north 
of  the  latter.  It  was  consequently  only  a  few  miles  to 
the  south  of  the  Hittite  capital  Carchemish.  Indeed, 
Shalmaneser  II.  tells  us  explicitly  that  the  city  was 
called  Pethor  by  '  the  Hittites.'  It  lay  on  the  main 
road  from  east  to  west,  and  so  occupied  a  position  of 
military  and  commercial  importance."  Originally  an 
Aramaean  town,  Pethor  had  received,  on  its  conquest 
by  the  Hittites,  a  new  element  of  population  from  that 
race,  and  the  two  peoples  lived  in  it  side  by  side.  The 
Aramaeans  of  Pethor  called  themselves  ''  the  sons  of 
(the  god)  Ammo "  ;  and,  according  to  Mr.  Sayce,  Dr. 
Neubauer  is  right  in  explaining  the  name  of  Balaam 
as  a  compound  of  Baal  with  Ammi,  which  occurs  as 
a  prefix  in  the  Hebrew  names  Ammiel,  Amminadab, 
and  others.  It  is  also  worthy  of  mention  that  the 
name  of  Balak's  father — Zippor,  or  "  Bird  " — occurs 
in  the  notice,  still  extant,  of  a  despatch  sent  by  the 
Egyptian  government  to  Palestine  in  the  third  year  of 
Menephtah  II. 

It  may  be  further  said  with  regard  to  Mr.  Sayce's 
valuable  work,  that  he  does  not  attempt  to  deal  par- 
ticularly with  the  prophecies  of  Balaam.  ''  They  must," 
he   says,    "  be  explained  b}^  Hebrew  philology  before 

.*  "The  Higher  Criticism  and  the  Monuments,"  p.  274. 


xxii.  1-19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  263 

the  records  of  the  monuments  can  be  called  upon  to 
illustrate  them.  It  may  be  that  the  text  is  corrupt ;  it 
may  be  that  passages  have  been  added  at  various  times 
to  the  original  prophecy  of  the  Aramaean  seer ;  these 
are  questions  which  must  be  settled  before  the  Assyrio- 
logist  can  determine  when  it  was  that  the  Kenite  was 
carried  away  captive,  or  when  Asshur  himself  was 
'  afflicted.' " 

The  divination  of  which  so  great  things  were  ex- 
pected by  Balak  is  amply  illustrated  in  the  Babylonian 
remains.  Among  the  Chaldeans  the  art  of  divination 
rested  *'  on  the  old  belief  in  every  object  of  inanimate 
nature  being  possessed  or  inhabited  by  a  spirit,  and 
the  later  belief  in  a  higher  power,  ruling  the  world  and 
human  affairs  to  the  smallest  detail,  and  constantly 
manifesting  itself  through  all  things  in  nature  as  through 
secondary  agents,  so  that  nothing  whatever  could  occur 
without  some  deeper  significance  which  might  be  dis- 
covered and  expounded  b}^  specially  trained  and  favoured 
individuals."  The  Chaldeo-Babylonians  ''not  only] 
carefully  noted  and  explained  dreams,  drew  lots  in; 
doubtful  cases  by  means  of  inscribed  arrows,  interpreted 
the  rustle  of  trees,  the  plashing  of  fountains  and  murmur 
of  streams,  the  direction  and  form  of  lightnings,  not 
only  fancied  that  they  could  see  things  in  bowls  of 
water,  and  in  the  shifting  forms  assumed  by  the  flame 
which  consumed  sacrifices  and  the  smoke  which  rose 
therefrom,  and  that  they  could  raise  and  question  the 
spirits  of  the  dead,  but  drew  presages  and  omens,  for 
good  or  evil,  from  the  flight  of  birds,  the  appearance 
of  the  liver,  lungs,  heart,  and  bowels  of  the  animals 
offered  in  sacrifice  and  opened  for  inspection,  from  the 
natural  defects  or  monstrosities  of  babies  or  the  young 
of  animals — in   short,    from   any  and   everything  that 


264  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


they  could  possibly  subject  to  observation."  There 
were  three  classes  of  wise  men,  astrologers,  sorcerers, 
and  soothsayers ;  all  were  in  constant  demand,  and  all 
used  rules  and  principles  settled  for  them  by  the  so- 
called  science  which  was  their  study. 

We  cannot  of  course  affirm  that  Balaam  was  one  of 
these  Chaldeans,  or  that  his  art  was  precisely  of  the 
kind  described.  He  is  declared  by  the  narrative  to  have 
received  communications  from  God.  There  can,  how- 
ever, be  no  doubt  that  his  wide  reputation  rested  on  the 
mystical  rites  by  which  he  sought  his  oracles,  for  these, 
and  not  his  natural  sagacit}^,  would  impress  the  common 
mind.  When  the  elders  of  Moab  and  Midian  went  to 
seek  him  they  carried  the  "rewards  of  divination"  in 
their  hands.  /It  was  believed  that  he  might  obtain 
from  Jehovah  the  God  of  the  Israelites  some  knowledge 
concerning  them  on  which  a  powerful  curse  might  be 
based.  \  If  then,  in  right  of  his  office,  he  pronounced 
the  malediction,  the  power  of  Israel  would  be  taken 
away.  The  journey  to  Pethor  was  by  the  oasis  of 
Tadmor  and  the  fords  at  Carchemish.  A  considerable) 
time,  perhaps  a  month,  would  be  occupied  in  going  anq 
returning.  But  there  was  no  other  man  on  whose 
insight  and  power  dependence  could  be  placed.  Those 
who  carried  the  message  were  men  of  rank,  who  might 
have  gone  as  ambassadors  to  a  king.  It  was  confidently 
expected  that  the  soothsayer  would  at  once  undertake 
the  important  commission. 

Arriving  at  Pethor  they  find  Balaam  and  convey  the 
message,  which  ends  with  the  flattering  words,  -. "  I 
know  that  he  whom  thou  blessest  is  blessed,  and  he 
whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed."  'But  they  have  to  treat 
with  no  vulgar  thaumaturgist,  no  mere  weaver  of  spells 
and  incantations.  ^This  is  a  man  of  intellectual  power, 


xxii.  I- 1 9.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  265 

a  diplomatist,  whose  words  and  proceedings  have  a 
tone  of  high  purpose  and  authority./  He  hears  atten- 
tively, but  gives  no  immediate  answer.  From  the  first 
he  takes  a  position  fitted  to  make  the  ambassadors  feel 
that  if  he  intervenes  it  will  be  from  higher  motives  than 
desire  to  earn  the  rewards  with  which  they  presume 
to  tempt  him.  He  is  indeed  a  prince  of  his  tribe,  and 
will  be  moved  by  nothing  less  than  the  oracle  of  that 
unseen  Being  whom  the  chiefs  of  Moab  and  Midian 
cannot  approach.  Let  the  messengers  wait,  that  in  the 
shadow  and  silence  of  night  Balaam  may  inquire  of 
Jehovah.  His  answer  shall  be  in  accordance  with  the 
solemn,  secret  word  that  comes  to  him  from  above. 

Three  of  the  New  Testament  writers,  the  Apostles 
Peter,  John,  and  Jude,  refer  to  Balaam  in  terms  of 
reprobation.  He  is  "  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  who 
loved  the  hire  of  wrongdoing  " ;  he  "  taught  Balak  to 
cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel, 
to  eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols,  and  to  commit  fornica- 
tion "  ;  he  is  the  type  of  those  who  run  riotously  in 
the  way  of  error  for  hire.  ^Gathering  up  the  impressions 
of  his  whole  life,  these  passages  declare  him  avaricious 
and  cunningly  malignant,  a  prophet  who  perverting  his 
gifts  brought  on  himself  a  special  judgment.  At  the 
outset,  however,  Balaam  does  not  appear  in  this  light, 
llie  pictorial  narrative  shows  a  man  of  imposing 
personality,  who  claims  the  '*  vision  and  the  faculty 
Divine."  He  seems  resolute  to  keep  by  the  truth 
rather  than  gratify  any  dreams  of  ambition  or  win 
great  pecuniary  rewards.  It  is  worth  while  to  study 
a  character  so  mingled,  in  circumstances  that  may  be 
called  typical  of  the  old  world. 

Did  Balaam  enjoy  communications  with  God  ?  Had 
be  real  prophetic   insight  ?      Or   must  we    hold  with 


266  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

some  that  he  only  professed  to  consult  Jehovah,  and 
found  the  answer  to  his  inquiries  in  the  conclusions  of 
his  own  mind  ? 

It  would  appear  at  first  sight  that  Balaam,  as  a 
heathen,  was  separated  by  a  great  gulf  from  the 
Hebrews.  But  at  the  time  to  which  the  narrative  of 
Numbers  refers,  if  not  at  the  period  of  its  composition, 
the  boundary  line  implied  by  the  word  *'  gentile  "  did 
not  exist.  Moses  had  clearly  taught  to  the  Hebrews 
ethical  and  religious  truths  which  neighbouring  nations 
saw  very  indistinctly  ;  and  the  Israelites  were  beginning 
to  know  themselves  a  chosen  race.  Yet  Abraham,  was 
their  father,  and  other  peoples  could  claim  descent 
from  him.  Edom,  for  example,  is  in  Numbers  xx. 
acknowledged  as  Israel's  brother. 

At  the  stage  of  history,  then,  to  which  our  passage 
belongs,  the  strongly  marked  differences  between  nation 
and  nation  afterwards  insisted  upon  were  not  realised. 
And  this  is  so  far  true  in  respect  of  religion,  that 
though  the  Kenites,  a  Midianite  tribe,  did  not  follow 
the  way  of  Jehovah,  Moses,  as  we  have  seen,  had  no 
difficulty  in  joining  with  them  in  a  sacrificial  feast  in 
honour  of  the  Lord  of  Heaven.  If  beyond  the  circle 
of  the  tribes  any  one,  impressed  by  their  history, 
attributing  their  rescue  from  Egypt  and  their  successful 
march  towards  Canaan  to  Jehovah,  acknowledged  His 
greatness  and  began  to  approach  Him  with  sacred 
rites,  no  doubt  would  have  existed  among  the  Hebrews 
generally  that  by  such  a  man  their  God  could  be  found 
and  His  favour  won.  The  narrative  before  us,  stating 
that  Jehovah  called  Balaam  and  communicated  with 
him,  simply  declares  what  the  more  patriotic  and 
religious  Israelites  would  have  had  no  difficulty  what- 
ever in  receiving.   /This  diviner  of  Pethor  had  heard  of 


xxii.  1-19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  267 

Israel's  deliverance  at  the  Red  Sea,  had  followed  with 
keen  interest  the  progress  of  the  tribes,  had  made 
himself  acquainted  with  the  law  of  Jehovah  given  at 
Sinai.  Why,  then,  should  he  not  worship  Jehovah  ? 
And  why  should  not  Jehovah  speak  to  him,  make 
revelations  to  him  of  things  still  in  the  future  ? 

So  far,  hov/ever,  we  touch  only  the  beliefs,  or  pos- 
sible beliefs,  of  the  Israelites.  The  facts  may  be  quite 
different.  We  are  in  the  way  of  considering  revelations 
of  the  Divine  will  to  have  been  so  uncommon  and  sacred 
that  a  man  of  very  high  character  alone  could  have 
enjoyed  them.  If  indeed  God  spoke  to  Balaam,  it  must 
have  been  in  another  way  than  to  Abraham,  Moses, 
Elijah.  Especially  since  his  history  shows  him  to  have 
been  a  man  bad  at  heart,  we  are  inclined  to  pronounce 
his  consultation  of  God  mere  pretence  ;  and  as  for  his 
prophecies,  did  he  not  simply  hear  of  Israel's  greatness 
and  forecast  the  future  with  the  prescience  of  a  clear 
calculator,  who  used  his  eyes  and  reason  to  good 
purpose  ?  But  with  this  the  gist  of  the  Bible  narrative 
cannot  be  said  to  agree.  .It  seems  to  be  certainly 
implied  that  God  did  speak  to  Balaam,  open  his  eyes, 
unfold  to  him  things  far  off  in  the  future.  Although 
many  cases  might  be  adduced  which  go  to  prove  that 
an  acute  man  of  the  world,  weighing  causes  and  tracing 
the  drift  of  things,  may  show  wonderful  foresight,  yet 
the  language  here  used  points  to  more  than  that.  It 
seems  to  mean  that  Divine  illumination  was  given  to 
one  beyond  the  circle  of  the  chosen  people,  to  one  who 
from  the  first  was  no  friend  of  God  and  at  the  last 
showed  himself  a  malicious  enemy  of  Israel.  And  the 
doctrine  must  be  that  any  one  who,  looking  beneath 
the  surface  of  things,  studying  the  character  of  men  and 
peoples,  connects  the  past  and  the  present  and  anticipates 


268  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

events  which  are  still  far  off,  has  his  illumination  from 
God.  Further  it  is  taught  that  in  a  real  sense  the 
man  who  has  some  conception  of  Providence,  though 
he  is  false  at  heart,  may  yet,  in  the  sincerity  of  an 
hour,  in  the  serious  thought  roused  at  some  crisis,  have 
a  word  of  counsel,  a  clear  indication  of  duty,  a  revela- 
tion of  things  to  come  which  others  do  not  receive. 
Still  we  must  interpret  the  words,  "  God  said  to  Balaam," 
in  a  way  which  will  not  lift  him  into  the  ranks  of  the 
heaven-directed  who  are  in  any  sense  mediators, 
prophets  of  the  age  and  the  world.  This  man  has  his 
knowledge  so  far  from  above,  has  his  insight  as  a  true 
gift,  receives  the  word  of  prohibition,  of  warning, 
veritably  from  a  Divine  source.  Yet  he  does  not  stand 
in  a  high  position,  lifted  above  other  men.  The  whole 
histor}^  is  of  value  for  our  instruction,  because  as  surely 
as  Balaam  received  directions  from  God,  we  also  receive 
them  through  conscience  ;  because  as  he  opposed  God 
so  we  also  may  oppose  Him  in  self-will  or  the  evil 
mind.  When  we  are  urged  to  do  what  is  right  the 
urgency  is  Divine,  as  certainly  as  if  a  voice  from  heaven 
fell  on  our  ears.  Only  when  we  realise  this  do  we  feel 
aright  the  solemnity  of  obligation.  If  we  fail  to  ascribe 
our  knowledge  and  our  sense  of  duty  to  God,  it  will 
seem  a  light  thing  to  neglect  the  eternal  laws  by  which 
we  should  be  ruled. 

Reaching  Pethor  the  messengers  of  Balak  state  their 
request.  Instead  of  going  with  them  at  once,  as  a 
false  man  might  be  expected  to  do,  Balaam  declares 
that  he  must  consult  Jehovah  ;  and  the  result  of  his 
consultation  is  that  he  declines.  In  the  morning  he 
says  to  the  princes  of  Moab,  ^*  Get  you  into  your 
land,  for  Jehovah  refuseth  to  give:  me  leave  to  go 
with  you."      The   question    whether   Israel  was  a    fit 


xxii.  1-19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  269 


subject  for  blessing  or  for  cursing  has  been  practically 
settled  in  his  mind.  When  he  lays  the  matter  before 
Jehovah,  as  he  knows  Him  through  His  law  and  the 
history  of  Israel,  it  is  made  unmistakable  that  no 
malediction  is  to  be  pronounced.  But  what,  then, 
was  the  secret  of  Balaam's  delay,  of  his  consultation 
of  the  oracle  ?  If  it  had  been  an  absolute  deter- 
mination to  serve  the  interests  of  righteousness,  he 
could  now  frame  his  reply  to  the  princes  in  such  a 
way  that  they  would  understand  it  to  be  final.  He 
would  not  say  demurely,  "  Jehovah  refuseth  to  give 
me  leave,"  for  these  words  allow  the  belief  that 
somehow  the  power  to  curse  may  yet  be  obtained. 
Balaam  permits  himself  to  hope  that  he  will  find  some 
flaw  in  Israel's  relation  to  Jehovah  which  will  leave 
room  for  a  malediction.  He  delays,  and  professes  to 
consult  God,  diplomatically,  that  even  by  the  refusal 
his  fame  as  a  diviner  acquainted  with  the  Unseen 
Power  may  be  established.  And  the  answer  he  returns 
means  that  his  own  reputation  is  not  to  be  hazarded 
by  any  divination  which  Jehovah  will  discredit. 

Had  not  the  future  proceedings  of  Balaam  cast  their 
shadow  back  on  his  career  and  words,  he  might  have 
been  pronounced  at  the  outset  a  man  of  integrity. 
The  rewards  offered  him  were  probably  large.  We 
may  beheve  that  whatever  reputation  Balaam  had 
previously  enjoyed  this  embassy  was  the  most  impor- 
tant ever  sent  to  him,  the  greatest  tribute  to  his  fame. 
And  we  would  have  been  inclined  to  say.  Here  is  an 
example  of  conscientiousness.  Balaam  might  go  with 
the  princes  at  least,  though  he  can  pronounce  no  curse 
on  Israel ;  but  he  does  not ;  he  is  too  honourable  even 
to  profess  the  desire  to  gratify  his  patrons.  This 
favourable  judgment,  however,  is-  forbidden.      It  was 


270  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


of  himself,  of  his  fame  and  position,  he  was  thinking. 
He  would  not  Have  gone  in  any  case  unless  it  had 
precisely  suited  his  purpose.  Understanding  that  Israel 
is  not  to  be  cursed,  he  manages  so  that_his.  refusal 
shall  enhance  his  own  reputation. 

Still,  the  small  amount  of  sincerity  there  is  in  Balaam, 
superimposed  on  his  self-love  and  diplomacy,  is  in 
contrast  to  the  utter  want  of  it  which  men  often  show. 
They  are  of  a  party,  and  at  the  first  call  they  will 
make  shift  to  denounce  whatever  their  leaders  bid 
them  denounce.  There  is  no  pretence  even  of  waiting 
for  a  night  to  have  time  for  quiet  reflection ;  much 
less  any  anxious  thought  regarding  Divine  providence, 
righteousness,  mercy,  by  means  of  which  duty  may 
be  discovered.  It  is  possible  for  men  to  appear 
earnest  defenders  of  religion  who  never  go  even  as 
far  as  Balaam  went  in  seeking  the  guidance  of  truth 
and  principle.  They  pass  judgments  with  a  haste 
that  shows  the  shallow  heart.  Tempted  by  some 
envious  Balak  within,  even  when  no  appeal  is  made, 
they  set  up  as  soothsayers  and  take  on  them  to 
prophesy  evil. 

The  messengers  of  Balak  returned  with  the  report 
of  their  disappointment;  but  what  they  had  to  say 
caused,  as  Balaam  no  doubt  intended,  greater  anxiety 
than  ever  to  secure  his  services.  One  who  was  so 
lofty,  and  at  the  same  time  so  much  in  the  secrets  of 
the  God  Israel  worshipped,  was  indeed  a  most  valuable 
ally,  and  his  help  must  be  obtained  at  any  price.  Did 
he  say  that  Jehovah  refused  to  give  him  leave  ?  Balak 
will  assure  him  of  rewards  which  no  God  of  Israel  can 
give,  very  great  recompense,  tangible,  immediate.  Other 
messengers  are  sent,  more,  and  more  honourable  than 
the   former,  and   they  carry  very  flattering  offers.     If 


xxii,  1-19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  271 


he  will  curse  Israel,  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor  will  do 
for  him  whatever  he  desires.  Nothing  is  to  hinder 
him  from  coming ;  neither  the  prohibition  of  Jehovah 
nor  anything  else. 

The  conduct  of  Balaam  when  he  is  appealed  to  the 
second  time  confirms  the  judgment  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  pronounce  on  his  character.  He  behaves 
like  a  man  who  has  been  expecting,  and  yet,  with  what 
conscience  he  has,  dreading,  the  renewed  invitation. 
He  appears  indeed  to  be  emphatic  in  declaring  his 
superiority  to  the  offer  of  reward  :  "If  Balak  would 
give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  I  cannot  go 
beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord  my  God,  to  do  less  or 
more."  The  air  of  incorruptible  virtue  is  kept.  The 
Moabites  and  Midianites  are  to  understand  that  they 
have  to  do  with  a  man  whose  whole  soul  is  set  on 
truth.  And  the  protestation  would  deceive  us— ^^onlv 
BaLaam„jciae&. not  dismiss.  the,^men.  Giving  him  all 
credit  for  an  intention  still  to  keep  right  with  the 
Almighty,  or,  shall  we  say  ?  allowing  that  he  was  too 
clever  a  man  to  imperil  his  reputation  by  intending  a 
curse  which  would  not  be  followed  by  any  ill  effects, 
we  find  immediately  that  he  is  unwilling  to- let  ihe 
opportunity  pass.  He  asks  the  messengers  to  tarry 
for  the  night,  that  he  may  again  consult  Jehovah  in  the 
matter.  He  has  already  seen  the  truth  as  to  Israel, 
the  promise  of  its  splendid  career.  Yet  he  will  repeat 
the  inquiry,  ask  once  more  regarding  the  prospect  he 
has  distinctly  seen.  It  is  ambition  that  moves  him, 
and  perhaps,  along  with  that,  avarice.  May  he  not  be 
able  to  say  something  that  wiTT  sound  like  a  curse, 
something  on  which  Balak  shall  fasten  in  the  belief 
that  it  gives  him  power  against  Israel  ?  It  would, 
at   all   events,    be   a    gratification    to   travel    in   state 


272  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

across  the  desert,  to  appear  amongst  the  princes  of 
Midian  and  Moab  as  the  man  after  whom  kings  had 
to  run.  And  there  was  the  possibiHty  that  without 
absolutely  forfeiting  his  reputation  as  a  seer  of  things 
to  come  he  might  obtain  at  least  a  portion  of*  the 
reward.  He  will  at  all  events  do  the  messengers  the 
honour  of  seeking  another  oracle  for  their  sakes,  though 
he  dishonours  the  name  of  God  from  whom  he  seeks  it. 

It  was  possible  for  Balaam  during  the  interval  of  the 
two  embassies  to  recover  himself  He  was  one  who 
could  understand  integrity,  who  knew  enough  of  the 
conditions  of  success  to  see  that  absolute  consistency 
is  the  only  strength.  There  was  a  straight  way  which 
he  might  have  followed.  But  temptation  pressed  on 
him.  Tired  of  the  narrow  field  within  which  he  had 
as  yet  exercised  his  powers,  he  saw  one  wider  and 
more  splendid  open  to  him.  The  wealth  was  no  small 
inducement.  He  was  in  the  way  of  divining  for  reward  ; 
this  was  the  greatest  ever  in  his  reach.  And  Balaam, 
knowing  well  how  base  and  vain  his  pretext  was, 
resigned  his  integrity,  even  the  pretence  of  it,  when  he 
bade  the  messengers  wait. 

Yet  was  his  fault  a  singular  one  ?  We  cannot  say 
that  he  showed  extraordinary  covetousness  in  desiring 
Balak's  silver  and  gold.  For  the  time,  in  the  circum- 
stances, scarcely  anything  else  could  be  expected  of  a 
man  like' him.  To  judge  Balaam  by  modern  Christian 
rules  is  an  anachronism.  The  remarkable  thing  is  to 
find  one  of  his  class  at  all  scrupulous  about  the  means 
he  employs  to  promote  himself.  tWe  say  that  he  was 
guilty  of  perverting  conscience ;  and  so  he  was.  But 
his  conscience  did  not  see  or  speak  so  clearly  as  ours.  | 
And  are  not  Christian  men  liable  to  have  their  heads 
turned  by  the  countenance  of  those  in  a  higher  rank 


xxii.  I-I9.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  273 


than  their  own,  and  to  succumb  to  the  enticement  of 
great  wealth  ?  When  they  are  asked  to  reconsider  a 
decision  they  know  to  be  right,  do  they  never  tamper 
with  conscience  ?  It  is  one  of  the  commonest  things 
to  find  persons  nominally  religious  indulging  in  the 
same  desires  and  acting  in  the  same  way  as  Balaam. 
But  the  earthly  craving  that  makes  any  one  go  back 
to  God  a  second  time  about  a  matter  which  ought  to 
have  been  settled  once  for  all,  involves  the  greatest 
moral  hazard,  r  No  human  being,  in  any  situation,  has 
spiritual  strength  to  spare.\  There  is  a  point  where  he 
who  hesitates  casts  the  whole  of  his  life  into  the  balance. 
For  young  persons,  especially,  a  great  warning,  often^' 
needed,  lies  here. 

The  fault  of  Balaam,  a  fault  of  which  he  could  not 
fail  to  be  conscious,  was  that  of  tampering  with  his 
inspiration.  The  insight  he  possessed — and  which  he 
valued — had  come  through  his  sincere  estimate  of 
things  and  men  apart  from  any  pressure  brought  to  bear 
on  him  to  take  a  side  either  for  money  or  for  fame.  His 
mind  using  perfect  freedom,  travelling  in  a  way  of  sincere 
judgment,  had  reached  a  height  from  which  he  enjoyed 
wide  prospects.  As  a  man  and  a  prophet  he  had  his 
standing  through  this  superiority  to  the  motives  that 
swayed  vulgar  minds.  The  admission  of  sordid  in- 
fluences, whether  it  began  with  the  visit  of  Balak's 
messengers  or  had  been  previously  allowed,  was  per- 
haps the  first  great  error  of  his  life.  And  it  is  so  in 
the  case  of  every  man  who  has  found  the  strength  of 
integrity  and  reached  the  vision  of  the  true.  The 
Christian  who  has  held  himself  free  from  the  entangle- 
ments of  the  world,  refusing  to  touch  its  questionable 
rewards,  or  to  be  influenced  by  its  jealousy  and  envy, 
has  what  may  be  called  his  inspiration,  though  it  lifts 

18 


274  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

him  to  no  prophetic  height.  He  has  a  clear  mind,  a 
clear  eye.  His  own  way  is  plain,  and  he  can  also  see 
the  crookedness  of  paths  which  others  follow  and  reckon 
straight  enough.  He  can  go  with  a  firm  step  and  say 
fearlessly,  ''  Be  ye  followers  of  me."  But  if  the  base 
considerations  of  gain  and  loss,  of  ease  or  discomfort, 
of  the  applause  or  enmity  of  other  men,  intrude,  if  even 
in  a  small  way  he  becomes  a  man  of  the  world,  at  once 
there  is  declension.  He  may  not  be  ambitious  nor 
covetous.  Yet  the  withdrawal  of  his  mind  from  its  sole 
allegiance  to  God  and  the  righteousness  of  God  tells  at 
once  on  his  moral  vision.  It  is  clouded.  The  oracle  be- 
comes ambiguous.  He  hears  two  voices,  many  voices  ;- 
and  the  counsels  of  his  mind  are  confused.  Like  others, 
he  now  takes  a  crooked  course,  he  feels  that  he  has 
lost  the  old  firmness  of  speech  and  action. 
/  It  is  a  sad  thing  when  one  who  has  felt  himself 
"  born  to  the  good,  to  the  perfect,"  who  has  gained  the 
power  that  comes  through  reverence,  and  sees  greater 
power  before  him,  yields  to  that  which  is  not  venerable, 
not  pure.  The  beginnings  of  the  fatal  surrender  may 
be  small.  Only  a  throb  of  self-consciousness  and  satis- 
faction when  some  one  speaks  a  word  of  flattery  or 
with  show  of  much  deference  prefers  an  astute  request. 
Only  a  disposition  to  listen  when  in  seeming  friendship 
counsel  of  a  plausible  kind  is  offered,  and  milder  ways 
of  judging  are  recommended  to  lessen  friction  and  put 
an  end  to  discord.  Even  the  strong  are  so  weak, 
and  those  who  see  are  so  easily  blinded,  that  no  one 
can  count  himself  safe.  And  indeed  it  is  not  the 
great  temptations,  like  that  which  came  to  Balaam,  we 
have  chiefly  to  dread.  The  very  greatness  of  a  bribe 
and  magnificence  of  an  opportunity  put  conscience  on 
its    guard.     Peril    comes    rather   when   the  appeal  for 


xxii.  1-19.]  BALAAM  INVOKED  275 

charity,  or  the  casuistry  of  protesting  virtue,  sends 
one  to  reconsider  judgment  that  has  been  solemnly 
pronounced  by  a  voice  we  cannot  mistake ;  when  we 
forget  that  the  matter  is  only  rightly  determined  for 
men  when  it  is  clearly  and  irrevocably  decided  by  the 
law  of  God,  whatever  men  may  think,  however  they 
may  deplore  or  rebel. 

* '  Thou  and  God  exist — 
So  think  ! — for  certain  ;  think  the  mass—  mankind — 
Disparts,  disperses,  leaves  thyself  alone  ! 
Ask  thy  lone  soul  what  laws  are  plain  to  thee — 
Thee  and  no  other,— stand  or  fall  by  them  I 
That  is  the  part  for  thee  :  regard  all  else 
For  what  it  may  be — Time's  illusion." 

Men  in  their  need,  in  their  sorrow,  their  self-esteem, 
would  have  the  true  man  revoke  his  judgment,  yield  a 
point  at  least  to  their  entreaties.  He  will  do  them  kind- 
ness, he  will  show  himself  human,  reasonable,  judicious. 
But  on  the  other  side  are  those  to  whom,  in  showing 
this  consideration,  he  will  be  unjust,  declaring  their 
honour  worthless,  their  sore  struggle  a  useless  waste 
of  strength  ;  and  he  himself  stands  before  the  Judge. 
The  one  sure  way  is  that  which  keeps  the  life  in  the 
line  of  the  statutes  of  God,  and  every  judgment  in  full 
accord  with  His  righteousness. 


XIX 

BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY 
Numbers  xxii.  20-38 

THE  history  is  moving  towards  a  great  vindication 
of  Israel  and  prediction  of  its  coming  power,  all 
the  more  impressive  that  they  are  to  be  wrung  from  an 
unwilling  witness,  a  man  who  would  pronounce  a  curse 
rather  than  a  blessing ;  all  the  more  impressive,  too, 
because  the  enemies  of  Israel  will  themselves  arrange 
on  a  mountain  pinnacle  the  scene  of  the  revelation,  with 
smoking  altars  and  princely  spectators.  The  great 
Actor  in  the  drama  is  unseen ;  but  His  voice  is  heard. 
However  tractable  the  omens  may  have  been  under 
other  circumstances  in  the  hands  of  the  soothsayer, 
he  now  finds  a  Master.  As  the  story  unfolds,  Balaam 
is  seen  attempting  the  impossible,  endeavouring  to  force 
the  hands  of  Providence,  held  as  in  a  chain  at  every 
stage.  There  is  a  Power  that  treats  him  as  if  he 
were  a  child.  Finally,  with  most  unwilling  eloquence, 
he  is  compelled  to  fling  far  and  wide  a  challenge  to 
Israel's  enemies,  the  praises  of  her  rising  star. 

In  harmony  with  this  general  movement  is  the  result 
of  Balaam's  second  appeal  for  permission  to  take  the 
journey  to  Moab.  He  receives  it,  but  with  a  reserva- 
tion. Fear  of  the  great  God  whom  he  invokes  holds 
him    to    the    conviction    that  whatever  he  may  do  no 

276 


xxii.2o-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   IVAY  277 

word  must  pass  his  lips  other  than  Jehovah  gives  him 
to  speak.  In  repeating  his  inquiry  he  has  assumed 
that  the  God  of  Israel  is  amenable  to  human  urgency ; 
and  as  he  will  have  Jehovah  to  be,  so  within  limits 
he  seems  to  find  Him.  Yet  there  is  more  to  reckon 
with  than  a  dubious  oracle,  discovered  through  signs 
and  portents  of  the  sky  or  whisperings  of  the  breeze  at 
night.  Jehovah  has  brought  His  people  from  Egypt, 
fed  them  in  the  desert,  given  them  victory.  Balaam 
finds  that  this  God  can  send  angels  upon  His  errands, 
that  there  is  no  escape  from  His  presence  nor  evasion 
of  His  will. 

It  was  in  a  kind  of  madness  the  diviner  set  out  from 
Pethor  by  the  way  of  the  Euphrates'  ford.  Excited 
by  the  hope  of  gaining  the  rewards  and  enjoying  the 
fame  awaiting  him  in  Moab,  he  was  at  the  same  time 
conscious  of  being  in  opposition  to  the  God  of  Israel, 
and  committed  to  an  adventure  that  might  end  disas- 
trously. He  went  in  a  mood  of  wilfulness,  hoping  and 
yet  half  doubting  that  his  way  would  become  clear, 
irritable  therefore,  ready  to  resent  every  hindrance. 
A  diviner  of  repute,  credited  with  powers  of  blessing 
and  cursing,  he  perhaps  felt  himself  safe  on  ordinary 
occasions,  especially  among  his  own  people,  even  when 
he  went  against  those  who  consulted  him.  But  could 
he  count  on  the  forbearance  of  the  king  of  Moab  into 
whose  country  he  was  venturing  ?  Jehovah  might  be 
opening  his  way  only  to  destruction.  Such  fears  could 
hardly  be  avoided. 

And  men  who  have  gone  back  to  conscience  endea- 
vouring to  extort  from  it  a  sanction  or  permission 
previously  denied,  who,  with  some  half  assurance  that 
the  way  is  open,  set  out  on  a  desired  course,  are  prac- 
tically in  the  same  mad   mood,  have  equal  reason  to 


278  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

dread  the  issue.  Is  this  understood  ?  It  may  be  safely 
asserted  that  half  the  wrong  things  men  do — taking  an 
average  of  human  action,  half  at  least — are  done  not  in 
despite  of  conscience,  but  with  its  dubious  consent, 
when  the  first  clear  decision  has  been  set  aside.  No 
doubt  the  urgency  is  often  very  great,  as  it  was  in 
Balaam's  case,  and  frequently  of  a  less  questionable 
kind.  Not  the  desire  of  envious  persons  to  have  others 
cursed  or  evil  intreated,  but  possibly  the  desire  of  some 
to  have  the  shadow  of  adverse  judgment  taken  away, 
may  be  the  plea,  and  be  supported  by  the  promise  of 
large  reward.  jThe  first  word  of  conscience  is  distinct — 
Have  nothijig  whatever  Jo,^o_with  the  matter :  the 
shadow  has  Fallen  on  the  wrongdoer;  he  has  not 
repented ;  let  him  suffer  still.  But  his  agents  come 
with  gold  and  silver,  with  plausible  words,  with  seeming 
Christian  arguments.  Then  the  appeal  to  conscience 
is  renewed,  and  he  who  should  be  firm  in  judgment 
finds  a  false  permission.  Or  the  case  may  be  of  one 
in  business,  tempted  to  some  practice,  common  enough, 
but  dishonest,  vile.  His  first  feeling  has  been  that  of 
disgust.  He  could  not  for  a  moment  contemplate  a 
thing  so  base.  But  under  the  pressure  of  what  appears 
to  be  necessity,  plausible  arguments  and  pretexts  gain 
ground.  The  fact  that  reputable  men  find  no  difficulty 
about  the  matter,  the  notion  that  a  custom  is  excusable 
because  it  is  followed  by  most  if  not  by  all,  along  with 
other  considerations  of  a  personal  kind,  are  allowed  to 
have  some  weight,  and  then  to  overbalance  the  sense 
of  duty.  And  the  result  is  that  the  moral  atmosphere 
is  confused.  The  man  sets  out  on  a  way  which  appears 
to  be  opened  for  him ;  but  he  goes  under  the  shadow 
of  a  haunting  fear. 

Like  Balaam,  one  who  thus  extorts  from  conscience, 


xxii.20-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY  279 


that  is  from  God,  permission  to  go  where  he  himself 
desires,  knowing  it  to  be  a  wrong  way,  is  quite  aware, 
may  indeed  be  eager  to  acknowledge  to  himself,  that  he 
is  still  held  by  a  Divine  command  extending  over  a  part 
of  his  conduct.  He  will  not  speak  a  word  that  shall 
be  against  truth.  He  will  resume  friendship  with  the 
rich  transgressor;  but  he  will  not  in  words  excuse  or 
palliate  his  crime.  He  will  adulterate  certain  com- 
modities in  which  he  deals,  but  he  will  never  assert  that 
they  are  genuine.  This  is  the  tribute  to  religion  and 
to  conscience  that  sustains  decaying  self-respect.  By 
this  the  man  who  passes  for  a  Christian  endeavours 
to  keep  himself  separate  from  those  who  have  no 
conscience  The  most  is  made  of  the  difference.  As 
compared  with  those  who  unblushingly  defend  the 
wrong,  this  man  may  think  himself  a  saint.  He 
would  on  no  account  speak  a  falsehood.  Does  he  not 
fear  God  ?  Is  he  a  dog  that  he  should  do  this 
thing  ?  Nevertheless,  the  way  leads  into  a  bottomless 
quagmire.  For  a  time  the  waning  light  of  religion  may 
shine.  It  may  even  burst  before  it  dies  into  a  bright 
flame  of  indignation  against  sin — the  crimes  others 
commit — or  of  loud  protestation  against  what  are  called 
false  charges.  But  the  man  dies  a  Balaam,  with  a 
perverted  conscience,  and  must  face  the  dreadful 
result. 
/Well  has  it  been  said  that  no  virtue  is  safe  without 
enthusiasm,  i  A  man  cannot  be  true  to  the  highest  law 
unless  he  has  the  motive  within  him  of  pure  devotion 
to  God  as  his  personal  Redeemer,  unless  he  recognises 
that  his  joy  in  God  and  his  salvation  are  bound  up 
with  fidelity  to  the  moral  ideal  which  is  presented  to 
him.  Faith,  hope,  love  must  inspire  and  keep  the  soul 
in  fervour  of  desire  to  reach  the  heights  to  which  it 


28o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

is  called  by  the  Divine  voice.  But  the  most  of  men 
come  far  short  of  this  enthusiasm.  It  is  rather  with 
reluctance,  after  a  kind  of  struggle  with  themselves, 
that  they  look  duty  in  the  face.  And  even  when  they 
do  they  find  no  pleasure  in  resolving  to  press  on  where 
the  absolutely  right  is  seen.  Their  pleasure  lies  in 
doing  less  than  that.  They  seek  accordingly  some 
way  of  observing  the  letter  of  duty  while  they  avoid 
its  spirit.  But  the  sense  of  having  come  short  in  a 
matter  that  involves  their  highest  wellbeing,  their 
standing  before  God,  their  very  right  to  hope  and  to 
live,  remains  with  them.  Marriage,  for  example,  is 
often  entered  upon  after  a  struggle  with  conscience 
in  which  a  clear  mandate  has  been  set  aside.  The 
desire  to  please  self  is  allowed  to  overcome  the  con- 
viction that  the  new  bond  will  keep  life  on  the  low 
worldly  ground,  or  drag  it  back  from  spirituality. 
The  merely  expedient  is  chosen  rather  than  the  ideal 
of  moral  independence  and  power.  And  of  this  come 
fretfulness,  dissatisfaction  with  self,  with  others,  with 
Providence.  All  the  sophistries  that  can  be  used  fail 
to  set  the  mind  at  rest.  Events  continually  occur 
which  throw  flashes  of  light  on  the  past  and  reveal  the 
lost  hope,  the  forfeited  vision. 

/^  God  does  not  make  the  wrong  way  smooth  for  one 
•  who  Has  extorted  permission  to  follow  it.  )  A  man 
desiring  to  enter  on  a  course  which  he  sees  to  be 
dishonourable  or  at  least  dubious  may  be  absolutely 
prevented  at  first.  His  appeal  is  to  Providence.  If 
circumstances  allowed  his  plan  he  would  reckon  the 
Divine  will  favourable  to  it.  But  they  do  not.  Every 
door  he  tries  in  the  direction  he  wishes  to  take  is 
barred  against  him.  Afterwards  one  yields  to  pressure, 
or  is  thrown  wide  because  he  knocks  at  it  persistently. 


xxii.  20-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY  281 


Then  he  advances,  taking  for  granted  that  he  has 
obtained  permission  from  God.  But  he  does  not  go 
far  till  he  is  undeceived.  So,  Balaam  sets  out  on 
his  adventure,  riding  on  his  ass  and  attended  by  his 
two  servants.  Yet  he  does  not  get  clear  of  the 
vineyards  of  Pethor  v^ithout  hindrance.  Obstacles 
to  his  journey  v^hich  do  not  appear  in  the  narrative 
may  have  at  first  stood  in  his  way,  certain  political 
complications,  we  may  suppose.  Now  they  are  re- 
moved. But  he  is  met  by  others.  The  angel  of  the 
Lord  opposes  him,  one  who  stands  with  a  drawn  sword 
in  hand  in  a  hollow  way  between  the  vineyards,  a 
path  closely  fenced  on  the  one  side  and  the  other. 
Balaam  fails  to  see  the  adversary ;  he  is  absorbed 
in  his  own  thoughts.  But  the  ass  sees,  and  will  not 
go  forward,  and  as  Balaam  becomes  aware  of  resistance 
his  anger  is  kindled. 

The  narrative  here  is  confessedly  difficult.  One  of 
the  most  reverent  commentators  on  the  passage  declares 
that  he  feels  too  deeply  the  essential  veracity  of  the 
story  to  be  troubled  with  minute  questions  about  its 
details.  *^  I  would  not,"  he  says,  "force  them  upon 
any  one's  belief  merely  by  uttering  the  coarse  sentence, 
that  they  are  in  the  Bible  and  therefore  must  be 
received.  One  is  afraid  of  leading  people  to  fancy 
that  they  do  believe  what  they  do  not  believe,  and  so 
of  propagating  hypocrisy  under  the  name  of  faith." 
To  some  the  narrative  may  present  no  serious  difficulty. 
They  accept  it  literally  at  every  point.  Others  again 
are  not  so  easily  satisfied  that  the  occasion  called  for 
miracles  like  those  which  appear  on  the  face  of  the 
history.  It  seems  to  them  of  no  great  moment  whether 
Balaam  went  or  did  not  go  to  Moab,  whether  he  cursed 
Israel  or  blessed  it.     Neither  the  curse  nor  the  blessing 


282  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

of  a  man  of  Balaam's  sort  could  make  the  least 
difference  to  Israel.  These  readers  accordingly  would 
find  a  parabolical  or  pictorial  explanation  of  the  in- 
cidents. /Literal  belief,  in  any  case,  need  not  be  made 
a  test  of  reverence ;  the  spirit  is  surely  more  than  the 
letter.  JThe  point  of  greatest  importance  is  to  believe 
that  God  dealt  with  this  man,  opposed  his  perverse 
will  by  gracious  influences  and  unexpected  protests. 
To  Balaam,  no  doubt,  the  angel's  appearance  and  the 
ass's  rebuke  were  real,  as  real  and  impressive  as  any 
experiences  he  ever  had.  He  was  humbled ;  he  ac- 
knowledged his  sin  and  offered  to  return.  When  he 
reached  the  land  of  Moab,  the  recollection  of  what 
befell  him  by  the  way  had  a  salutary  influence  on  all 
he  said  and  did. 

In  many  unforeseen,  singular,  and  often  homely  ways, 
men  are  checked  in  the  endeavour  to  carry  out  the 
schemes  which  ambition  and  avarice  prompt.  The 
angel  of  the  Lord  who  opposes  one  bent  on  a  bad 
enterprise  often  appears  in  familiar  guise.  To  some 
men  their  wives  stand  in  the  way,  some  are  challenged 
by  their  children.  What  in  voluntary  blindness  they 
have  declined  to  see — the  madness  of  the  wrong  course, 
the  intrinsic  baseness  of  the  thing  undertaken — those 
who  look  with  pure  eyes  perceive  clearly  and  are  brave 
enough  to  condemn.  At  other  times  obstacles  are 
placed  in  the  way  by  the  simple  ordinary  duties  which 
claim  attention,  occupy  thought  and  time,  and  tend  to 
bring  back  the  mind  to  humility  and  saneness.  Yet  covet- 
ousness  can  make  men  very  blind.  Under  the  influence 
of  it  they  suppose  themselves  to  be  acting  cleverly, 
while  all  the  time  those  whom  they  think  they  are 
outwitting  see  them  posting  on  the  way  to  bankruptcy 
and  shame. 


xxii.20-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY  283 

Even  a  good  man  may  lose  his  spiritual  discrimina- 
tion occasionally  when  he  fancies  himself  called  to 
curse  not  Israel  but  Moab,  and  sets  out  in  heat  upon 
the  errand.  He  fails  to  see  that  the  case  of  Balaam 
is  so  far  parallel  to  his  own  that  he  ought  to  expect  an 
angel  to  oppose  him.  The  critical  Balaam  who  feels 
it  his  high  duty  to  pronounce  maledictions  on  some 
theological  opponent,  not  for  silver  and  gold,  but  for 
the  cause  of  God,  is  resisted  by  many  an  angel  bearing 
the  sharp  sword  of  the  Word,  set  to  declare  the  great 
tolerance  of  Christ,  and  to  vindicate  the  liberty  that  is 
in  Him.  That  men  fail  to  see  these  angels,  or  else 
ride  past  them,  is  abundantly  evident,  for  the  altars 
smoke  on  many  a  height,  and  scrolls  of  futile  condem- 
nation are  flung  upon  the  breeze. 

Balaam  smites  the  ass  even  when  she  falls  down 
under  him  in  her  abject  terror.  He  endeavours  to 
force  her  on  till  at  last  he  is  put  to  shame  by  her 
rebuke.  We  are  pointed  to  the  irrational  way  in  which 
those  act  whose  moral  judgment  is  blinded.  Their 
course  being  wrong,  they  do  not  turn  against  them- 
selves, but  rise  in  passion  against  every  person  or 
thing  that  hinders.  The  husband  who  is  resolved 
to  take  a  wrong  path  thrusts  away  his  faithful  wife ; 
the  son  bent  on  what  will  be  his  ruin  pushes  off  his 
weeping  mother  when  she  pleads  before  him.  Often 
an  apparently  inexplicable  fit  of  temper  in  public  or  in 
private  means  that  a  man  is  in  the  wrong  and  is  aware 
of  a  mistake,  from  the  consequences  of  which  he  would 
fain  escape.  One's  heart  bleeds  for  none  more  than 
for  those  victims  of  selfish  anger  who  suffer  under  the 
abuse  of  the  Balaams  of  society.  They  have  seen  the 
angel  in  the  way.  They  have  sought  by  a  gesture  or 
a  warning  word  to  arrest  the  friend  who  would  go  on 


284  T^tiE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


to  evil.  Then  the  cruel  strokes  fall  on  them,  curses, 
foul  abuse,  taunts  often  directed  against  their  reHgion. 
They  are  charged  with  setting  themselves  up  as  holier 
and  better  than  other  people.  They  are  denounced  as 
meddlers  and  fools.  They  protest  without  effect  often, 
and  suffer  apparently  to  no  purpose.  Yet  shall  we 
suppose  their  endeavours  altogether  lost?  Good  is 
surely  stronger  than  evil.  Every  right  act  and  word 
is  germinal.     After  long  years  it  bears  fruit. 

In  Balaam's  case  there  was  a  happier  issue  than  is 
often  seen.  The  protest  against  his  cruelty  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  truth  that  a  messenger  of  God  stood  in 
his  way.  The  rebuke  came  home  to  him.  So  might 
a  hard,  self-willed  man  who  rode  rough-shod  over  the 
feelings  and  rights  of  others  be  brought  suddenly  to  a 
sense  of  his  cruelty  by  the  look  on  the  face  of  a  dog. 
Bad  as  men  and  women  may  be,  violent  and  abusive 
as  they  may  become  in  times  of  anger  and  impatience, 
there  are  ways  of  softening  their  hearts.  They  go  on 
for  years  attempting  to  justify  themselves  in  a  rough 
and  selfish  course.  But  who  shall  say  that  even  the 
seeming  worst  are  beyond  recovery?  When  there 
appears  to  be  no  redeeming  feature  left  in  the  character, 
the  crisis  may  be  at  hand,  the  transgressor  may  be  so 
taught  by  the  piteous  look  of  a  dumb  animal  that  his 
infatuation  will  come  to  an  end.  RecoiHng  from  him- 
self he  will  acknowledge  his  perversity  and  turn  to 
better  thoughts. 

How  far  did  Balaam's  repentance  go  ?  There  can 
be  little  doubt  the  motive  of  it  was  the  sudden  discovery 
that  the  God  of  Israel  was  mightier  and  more  observant 
than  he  had  imagined  ;  in  short,  that  Jehovah  was  his 
master.  Balaam  yields,  changes  his  mind,  not  because 
he  is  in  the  least  degree  more  disposed  to  do  what  is 


xxii.  20-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY  2S5 


right,  but  because  he  finds  the  antagonism  of  God 
falling  suddenly  upon  his  life.  To  the  angel  he  says  : 
**  I  have  sinned  :  for  I  knew  not  that  thou  stoodest  in 
the  way  against  me  :  now  therefore,  if  it  displease  thee, 
I  will  get  me  back  again."  This  is  an  acknowledgment 
of  authority,  but  not  of  an  obligation  into  which  any 
sense  of  God's  goodness  enters.  It  is  the  sullen 
acquiescence  of  a  foiled  adventurer,  who  at  the  very 
outset  is  made  to  understand  the  terms  and  narrow 
limits  of  his  power.  He  has  his  knowledge,  his  vision. 
When  he  set  out  he  intended  to  use  them,  if  possible, 
under  such  conditions  as  would  secure  his  own  liberty. 
He  is  now  made  to  understand  that  he  is  not  free.  The 
angel  with  the  drawn  sword  will  be  in  Moab  before  him, 
ready  to  cut  him  down  if  he  should  do  or  say  anything 
opposed  to  the  mind  of  the  God  of  Israel.  He  is  cowed, 
not  converted. 

And  so  it  often  is  with  men  who  find  their  schemes 
counteracted,  and  are  made  to  feel  their  weakness  in 
presence  of  the  forces  of  human  government,  or  of  the 
natural  world.  Their  confession  of  sin  is  really  a  sullen 
acknowledgment  of  impotence.  Sift  their  feelings  and 
you  discover  no  sense  of  guilt.  They  miscalculated, 
and  they  regret  having  done  so,  because  it  is  to  their 
shame.  They  will  go  back  to  make  other  plans,  to  lay 
the  foundations  deeper  with  greater  subtlety,  and  by- 
and-by,  if  they  can,  to  carry  out  their  ideas  and  gratify 
their  covetousness  and  ambition  in  other  ways.  Some- 
times indeed  it  may  become  clear  to  a  man  that  his 
efforts  to  advance  himself,  such  as  he  is,  cannot  prosper 
because  Omnipotence  is  against  him.  Then  acknow- 
ledgment of  defeat  is  confession  of  despair.  Of  this 
we  see  an  example  in  the  first  Napoleon  after  his  final 
capture   when   he  was   on   the  voyage  to  St.    Helena. 


286  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

He  had  forced  his  wa}^  over  obstacles  enough,  leaving 
blood  and  ruin  behind  him.  But  at  length  the  stronger 
power  came  down  to  meet  him,  and  he  knew  that  the 
game  was  lost.  Beneath  the  seeming  acquiescence 
there  lurked  rebellion.  He  often  spoke  as  a  believer 
in  God ;  but  the  God  he  knew  was  one  he  could  have 
wished  to  foil.  In  the  island  to  which  he  was  confined 
he  schemed  desperately  to  regain  his  freedom  that  he 
might  renew  the  vain  conflict  with  Providence  for  his 
own  glory  and  the  glory  of  France.  ''  I  have  sinned  : 
I  will  get  me  back  again."  Yes.  But  will  it  be  to  lay 
other  and  more  cunning  plots  for  self-aggrandisement, 
and  recover  the  lost  ground  by  some  daring  stroke  ? 
Then  it  will  be  also  to  meet  other  angels,  and  at  the 
last  the  minister  who  bears  the  sword  of  doom. 

Balaam  will  return,  confessing  himself  defeated  for 
the  time.  But  he  learns  that  he  may  not.  He  has 
come  so  far  with  designs  of  his  own  ;  he  must  now  go 
on  to  Moab  to  serve  the  purposes  of  God.  The  per- 
mission he  wrested,  so  to  speak,  from  Providence,  was 
not  wrested  after  all.  There  are  deeper  schemes  than 
Balaam  can  form,  the  great  far-reaching  plans  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  by  these,  however  unwillingly,  the 
soothsayer  of  Pethor  is  now  bound.  This  journey  has 
been  of  his  own  perverse  choosing ;  now  he  must 
finish  it,  feeling  himself  at  every  point  a  servant,  an 
instrument ;  and  if  danger  and  even  death  await  him, 
still  he  must  proceed.  Easy  it  is  to  begin  in  the  crafti- 
ness of  human  purpose  and  the  foolishness  of  earthly 
hope  ;  but  the  end  is  not  under  the  control  of  him  who 
begins.  There  is  One  who  orders  all  things  so  that  the 
gifts  of  men  and  their  perversity  and  their  wrath  shall 
all  praise  Him,  shall  all  be  woven  into  the  web  of  His 
evolving  purpose,  universal,  holy,  sure. 


xxii.20-38.]  BALAAM  ON  THE   WAY  287 

It  is  a  Startling  thought  that  in  a  sense  whatever 
we  begin  in  pride  or  self-will,  playing,  as  it  were,  the 
first  act  of  the  drama  on  some  stage  we  ourselves  select, 
the  movement  cannot  be  arrested  when  we  choose. 
In  one  way  or  another,  act  after  act  must  proceed  to 
the  very  end  which  God  foreordains.  Many  human  pur- 
poses appear  to  be  sharply  and  completely  broken  off. 
In  the  midst  of  his  days  man  hears  the  call  he  cannot 
disobey.  His  tools,  his  hopes,  his  declared  intentions 
must  be  laid  aside.  But  the  end  is  not  yet.  The 
curtain  has  fallen  here.  It  will  be  raised  again.  And 
in  many  unfoldings  of  Divine  purpose  we  witness 
scene  after  scene,  in  scene  after  scene  have  to  play  our 
part.  One  who  has  begun  ill  may  sincerely  repent, 
and  then  the  development  takes  a  direction  which  will 
be  to  the  glory  of  Divine  grace.  That  act  of  repentance 
over,  another  comes,  in  which  the  humble  thought  of  the 
penitent  reveals  itself.  He  is  seen  a  new  man,  timorous 
where  he  was  bold,  bold  where  he  was  timorous. 
Beyond  there  are  other  scenes,  in  which  he  shall  be 
found  endeavouring  to  repair  the  evil  he  has  done,  to 
gather  the  poisoned  arrows  he  has  strewed  about  the 
world.  And  the  consummation  shall  be  reached  when 
the  task  at  which  he  has  vainly  laboured  is  completed 
for  him  by  Christ,  and  his  recovery  and  the  restitution 
he  toiled  for  shall  be  complete. 

But  if  there  is  no  penitence,  still  the  drama  must 
go  on  to  its  finish.  The  man  resenting,  yet  unable  to 
resist,  shall  do  what  God  requires,  what  God  permits. 
He  shall  attempt  to  curse,  yet  be  constrained  to  bless. 
He  shall  in  bitterness  of  anger  frame  new  devices  and 
carry  them  out.  Then,  when  the  cup  of  his  iniquity 
is  full,  and  all  is  done  Providence  allows,  retribution 
shall  overtake  him.     In  the  thick  of  battle  the  sword 


288  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  the  angel  shall  smite  him  to  the  ground.  For  each 
man,  under  God's  rule,  in  the  midst  of  the  forces  He 
upholds,  there  is  a  destiny,  some  stages  of  which  we 
can  trace.  Entering  on  life  we  of  necessity  become 
subject  to  great  laws  which  our  revolt  cannot  in  the 
least  affect.  And  these  are  moral  laws.  The  seeming 
success  of  the  immoral  who  are  intellectually  or  brutally 
strong  is  within  the  narrow  limits  of  time  and  space. 
In  the  breadths  of  eternity  and  infinity  there  is  no 
strength  for  any  but  the  good. 

There  is  a  purpose  of  God  which  Balaam  is  unwilling 
to  subserve ;  and  of  that  the  man  becomes  gradually 
aware.  When  he  is  met  by  Balak  and  his  train  and 
upbraided  with  his  reluctance  to  come  where  honours 
and  rewards  are  to  be  had,  the  soothsayer  realises  his 
peril  and  begins  at  once  to  prepare  the  Moabite  king  for 
disappointment.  "  Lo,  I  am  come  unto  thee,"  he  says  : 
''have  I  now  any  power  at  all  to  speak  anything? 
The  word  that  God  putteth  in  my  mouth,  that  shall  I 
speak."  What  we  see  now  is  a  contest  between  the 
influence  of  Balak,  with  his  power  to  reward  and  also 
to  punish,  and  the  consciousness  of  a  constraint  which 
had  entered  deeply  into  Balaam's  mind.  The  sense 
of  Jehovah's  authority  over  him  on  this  occasion  was 
indeed  supported  by  another  strong  motive  which  the 
diviner  never  allowed  to  fall  into  the  background.  He 
had  his  reputation  to  maintain.  At  whatever  hazard, 
he  must  show  himself  to  Moabites,  Midianites,  Ara- 
maeans, a  man  who  knew  the  knowledge  of  the  Most 
High.  The  ignorance  of  Balak  is  seen  in  his  absurd 
hope  that  for  the  sake  of  some  bribe  of  his  the  prophet 
of  Pethor  will  be  induced  to  fling  away  his  fame. 

There  are  things  which  even  money  cannot  buy. 
There    is    a    limit    beyond    which    even    a    false    and 


^xii.  20-38.]  BALAAM  ON   THE   WAY  289 


avaricious  man  cannot  venture  for  the  sake  of  honours 
and  rewards.  It  is  a  vulgar  judgment  that  every  man 
has  his  price.  One  who  is  not  particularly  conscientious 
on  most  occasions  will  sometimes  touch  the  bounds  of 
concession  and  take  his  stand  for  what  is  left,  all  the 
self  he  has  in  any  true  sense.  Neither  will  money  buy 
nor  threats  compel  his  further  acquiescence  in  what  he 
deems  wrong.  Again,  as  in  Balaam's  case,  the  limit  of 
the  power  of  gold  or  of  threats  may  be  fixed  by  pride. 
There  are  gifts,  qualities,  distinctions  possessed  by 
some,  in  virtue  of  which  they  seem  to  themselves  to 
occupy  a  place  which  all  might  covet.  The  veteran 
has  his  decoration,  once  attached  to  his  uniform  by 
some  honoured  commander  under  whom  he  served. 
No  money  could  buy  that.  He  would  die  rather  than 
part  with  it.  Another  is  proud  of  his  name.  To 
dishonour  that  would  be  treachery  to  his  ancestors. 
Balaam  has  his  unique  power  of  vision,  and  for  a  while 
at  least  he  preserves  it.  A  man  like  Balak,  measuring 
others  by  himself,  regards  a  diviner  as  one  of  a  lower 
order  who  may  be  moved  by  menaces  and  promises. 
He  finds  that  Balaam  has  pride  enough  to  lift  him 
above  them.  Thus  vanity  counteracts  vanity;  the 
comparatively  base  keeps  the  base  in  check. 


19 


XX 

BALAAM'S  PARABLES 
Numbers  xxii.  39-xxiv.  9 

THE  scene  is  now  on  some  mountain  of  Moab 
from  which  the  encampment  of  the  Hebrew  tribes 
in  the  plain  of  the  Jordan  is  fully  visible.  At  Kiriath- 
huzoth,  possibly  the  modern  Shihan,  about  ten  miles 
east  of  the  Dead  Sea,  and  to  the  south  of  the  Arnon 
valley,  preparation  for  the  attempt  against  Israel's 
destiny  has  been  made  by  a  great  sacrifice  of  oxen 
and  sheep  intended  to  secure  the  good-will  of  Chemosh, 
the  Baal  or  Lord  of  Moab.  On  the  range  overhanging 
the  Dead  Sea,  somewhat  to  the  north  of  the  Arnon, 
perhaps,  are  the  Bamoth-Baal,  or  high  places  of  Baal, 
and  the  *'  bare  height "  where  Balaam  is  to  seek  his 
auguries  and  will  be  met  by  God. 

The  evening  of  Balaam's  arrival  has  been  spent  in 
the  sacrificial  festival,  and  in  the  morning  Balak  and 
his  princes  escort  the  diviner  to  the  Bamoth-Baal  that 
he  may  begin  his  experiment.  After  his  usual  manner, 
Balaam  pompously  requires  that  great  arrangements 
be  made  for  the  trial  of  auguries  by  means  of  which 
his  oracle  is  to  be  found.  Balak  has  offered  sacrifices 
to  Chemosh  ;  now  Jehovah  must  be  propitiated,  and 
seven  altars  have  to  be  built,  and  on  each  of  them 
a    bullock    and    a    ram    offered    by    fire.       The    altars 

290 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9.]         BALAAM'S  PARABLES  291 

erected,  the  carcases  of  the  animals  prepared,  Balaam 
does  not  remain  beside  them  to  take  actual  part  in  the 
sacrifice.  It  is,  in  fact,  to  be  Balak's,  not  his  ;  and  if 
the  God  of  Israel  should  refuse  His  sanction  to  the 
curse,  that  will  be  because  the  offering  of  the  king  of 
Moab  has  not  secured  His  favour.  Accordingly,  while 
the  seven  wreaths  of  smoke  ascend  from  the  altars, 
and  the  invocations  of  the  Divine  power  which  usually 
accompany  sacrifice  are  chanted  by  the  king  and  his 
princes,  the  soothsayer  withdraws  to  a  peak  at  some 
distance  that  he  may  read  the  omens.  *'  Peradventure/' 
he  says,  ''  Jehovah  will  come  to  meet  me." 

It  was  now  a  critical  hour  for  the  ambitious  prophet. 
He  had  indeed  already  found  distinction,  for  who  in 
Moab  or  Midian  could  have  commanded  with  so  royal 
an  air  and  received  attention  so  obsequious  ?  But  the 
reward  remained  to  be  won.  Yet  may  we  not  assume 
that  when  Balaam  reached  Moab  and  saw  the  pitiable 
state  of  what  had  been  once  a  strong  kingdom,  the 
cities  half  ruined,  filled  with  poor  and  dejected  inhabi- 
tants, he  conceived  a  kind  of  contempt  for  Balak  and 
perceived  that  his  offers  must  be  set  aside  as  worthless  ? 
God  met  Balaam,  we  are  told.  And  this  may  have 
been  the  sense  in  which  God  met  him  and  put  a  word 
into  his  mouth.  What  was  Moab  compared  with 
Israel  ?  A  glance  at  Kiriath-huzoth,  a  little  experience 
of  Balak's  empty  boastfulness  and  the  entreaties  and 
anxiety  which  betrayed  his  weakness,  would  show 
Balaam  the  vanity  of  proposing  to  reinvigorate  Moab 
at  the  expense  of  Israel.  His  way  led  clearly  enough 
where  the  finger  of  the  God  of  Israel  pointed,  and  his 
mind  almost  anticipated  what  the  Voice  he  heard  as 
Jehovah's  declared.  He  saw  the  smoke  streaming 
south-eastward,  and  casting  a  black   shadow  between 


292  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

him  and  Moab ;  but  the  sun  shone  on  the  tents  of 
Israel,  right  away  to  the  utmost  part  of  the  camp 
(xxii.  41).  The  mind  of  Balaam  was  made  up.  It 
would  be  better  for  him  in  a  worldly  sense  to  win 
some  credit  with  Israel  than  to  have  the  greatest 
honour  Moab  could  offer.  Chemosh  was  in  decline,- 
Jehovah  in  the  ascendant.  Perhaps  the  Hebrews 
might  need  a  diviner  when  their  great  Moses  was  dead, 
and  he,  Balaam,  might  succeed  to  that  exalted  office. 
We  never  can  tell  what  dreams  will  enter  the  mind  of 
the  ambitious  man,  or  rather,  we  do  not  know  on  what 
slender  foundations  he  builds  the  most  extravagant 
hopes.  There  was  nothing  more  unlikely,  the  thing 
indeed  was  absolutely  impossible,  yet  Balaam  may  have 
imagined  that  his  oracle  would  come  to  the  ears  of 
the  Israelites,  and  that  they  would  send  for  him  to  give 
favourable  auguries  before  they  crossed  the  Jordan. 

Rapidly  the  diviner  had  to  form  his  decision.  That 
done,  the  words  of  the  oracle  could  be  trusted  to  the 
inspiration  of  the  moment,  inspiration  from  Jehovah, 
whose  superiority  to  all  the  gods  of  Syria  Balaam  now 
heartily  acknowledged.  He  accordingly  left  his  place 
of  vision  and  returned  to  the  Bamoth  where  the  altars 
still  smoked.     Then  he  took  up  his  parable  and  spoke. 

"From  Aram  Balak  brought  me, 
Moab's  king  from  the  mountains  of  the  east ; 
'Come,  curse  for  me  Jacob, 
And  come,  menace  Israel.' 

How  can  1  curse  whom  God  hath  not  cursed  ? 
And  how  can  I  menace  whom  God  hath  not  menaced  ? 
For  from  the  head  of  the  rocks  I  see  him, 
And  from  the  hills  I  behold  him. 

Lo,  a  people  apart  he  dwells. 

And  among  the  nations  he  is  not  counted. 

Who  can  reckon  the  dust  of  Jacob, 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9-]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  293 

And  in  number  the  fourth  of  Israel  ? 

Let  my  soul  die  the  death  of  the  righteous ; 

And  be  my  last  end  like  his  ! " 

In  this  parable,  or  mashal,  along  with  some  elements 
of  egotism  and  self-defence,  there  are  others  that  have 
the  ring  of  inspiration.  The  opening  is  a  vaunt,  and 
the  expression,  '*  How  can  I  curse  whom  God  hath  not 
cursed  ?  "  is  a  form  of  self-vindication  which  savours 
of  vanity.  We  see  more  of  the  cowed  and  half-resent- 
ful man  than  of  the  prophet.  Yet  the  vision  of  a  people 
dwelling  apart,  not  to  be  reckoned  among  the  others,  is 
a  real  revelation,  boldly  flung  out.  Something  of  the 
difference  already  established  between  Israel  and  the 
goim,  or  peoples  of  the  Syrian  district,  had  been  caught 
by  the  seer  in  his  survey  of  past  events,  and  now  came 
to  clear  expression,  ^or  a  moment,  at  least,  his  soul 
rose  almost  into  spiritual  desire  in  the  cry  that  his  last 
end  should  be  of  the  kind  an  Israelite  might  have  ;  one 
who  with  calm  confidence  laid  himself  down  in  the  arms 
of  the  great  God,  the  Lord  of  providence,  of  death  as 
well  as  life.  \ 

A  man  has  learned  one  lesson  of  great  value  for  the 
conduct  of  life  when  he  sees  that  he  cannot  curse  whom 
God  has  not  cursed,  that  he  would  be  foolish  to  menace 
whom  God  has  not  menaced.  Reaching  this  point  of 
sight,  Balaam  stands  superior  for  the  time  to  the  vulgar 
ideas  of  men  like  the  king  of  Moab,  who  have  no  con- 
ception of  a  strong  and  dominant  will  to  which  human 
desires  are  all  subjected.  However  reluctantly  this 
confession  is  made,  it  prevents  many  futile  endeavours 
and  much  empty  vapouring.  There  are  some  indeed 
whose  belief  that  fate  must  be  on  their  side  is  simply 
immovable.  Those  whom  they  choose  to  reckon  enemies 
are  established  in  the  protection  of  heaven  ;  but  they 


294  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 


think  it  possible  to  wrest  their  revenge  even  from  the 
Divine  hand.  Not  till  the  blow  they  strike  recoils  with 
crushing  force  on  themselves  do  they  know  the  fatuity 
of  their  hope.  In  his  "  Instans  Tyrannus  "  Mr.  Browning 
pictures  one  whose  persecution  of  an  obscure  foe  ends 
in  defeat. 

"I  soberly  laid  my  last  plan 
To  extinguish  the  man. 
Round  his  creep-hole,  with  never  a  break, 
Ran  my  fires  for  his  sake  ; 
Overhead,  did  my  thunder  combine 
With  my  underground  mine  : 
Till  I  looked  from  my  labour,  content 
To  enjoy  the  event. 

When  sudden  .  .  .  how  think  ye,  the  end  ? 

Did  I  say,   '  Without  friend  '  ? 

Say  rather  from  marge  to  blue  marge 

The  whole  sky  grew  his  targe. 

With  the  sun's  self  for  visible  boss, 

While  an  Arm  ran  across, 

Which  the  earth  heaved   beneath,  like  a  breast 

Where  the  wretch  was  safe  prest ! 

Do  you  see  ?    Just  my  vengeance  complete. 

The  man  sprang  to  his  feet, 

Stood  erect,  caught  at  God's  skirts  and  prayed  ! 

— So,  I  was  afraid  !  " 

In  smaller  matters,  the  attempts  at  impudent  de- 
traction which  are  common,  when  the  base,  girding  at 
the  good,  think  it  possible  to  bring  them  to  contempt, 
or  at  least  stir  them  to  unseemly  anger,  or  prick 
them  to  humiliating  self-defence,  the  law  is  often  well 
enough  understood,  yet  neither  the  assailants  nor  those 
attacked  may  be  wise  enough  to  recognise  it.  A  man 
who  stands  upon  his  faithfulness  to  God  does  not  need 
to  be  vexed  by  the  menaces  of  the  base  ;  he  should  de- 
spise them.  Yet  he  often  allows  himself  to  be  harassed, 
and  so  yields  all  the  victory  hoped  for  by  his  detractor. 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9-]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  295 


Calm  indifference,  if  one  has  a  right  to  use  it,  is  the 
true  shield  against  the  arrows  of  envy  and  malice. 

Balaam's  vision  of  Israel  as  a  separated  people,  a 
people  dwelling  alone,  had  singular  penetration.  The 
others  he  knew — Amorites,  Moabites,  Ammonites, 
Midianites,  Hittites,  Aramaeans — went  together,  scarcely 
distinguishable  in  many  respects,  with  their  national 
Baals  all  of  the  same  kind.  Was  Ammon  or  Chemosh, 
Melcarth  or  Sutekh,  the  name  of  the  Baal  ?  The  rites 
might  differ  somewhat,  there  might  be  more  or  less 
ferocity  ascribed  to  the  deities  ;  but  on  the  whole  their 
likeness  was  too  close  for  any  real  distinction.  And 
the  peoples,  differing  in  race,  in  culture,  in  habit,  no 
doubt,  were  yet  alike  in  this,  that  their  morality  and 
their  mental  outlook  passed  no  boundary,  were  for  the 
most  part  of  the  beaten,  crooked  road.  Strifes  and 
petty  ambitions  here  and  there,  temporary  combina- 
tions for  ignoble  ends,  the  rise  of  one  above  another 
for  a  time  under  some  chief  who  held  his  ground  by 
force  of  arms,  then  fell  and  disappeared — such  were 
the  common  events  of  their  histories.  But  Israel  came 
into  Balaam's  sight  as  a  people  of  an  entirely  different 
kind,  generically  distinct.  Their  God  was  no  Baal 
ferocious  by  report,  really  impotent,  a  mere  reflection 
of  human  passion  and  lust.  Jehovah's  law  was  a 
creation,  like  nothing  in  human  history  ascribed  to  a 
God.  His  worship  meant  solemn  obligation,  imposed, 
acknowledged,  not  simply  to  honour  Him,  but  to  be 
pure  and  true  and  honest  in  honouring  Him.  Israel 
had  no  part  in  the  orgies  that  were  held  in  professed 
worship  of  the  Baals,  really  to  the  disgrace  of  their 
devotees.  The  lines  of  the  national  development  had 
been  laid  down,  and  Balaam  saw  to  some  extent  how 
widely   they   diverged   from   those   along  which    other 


296  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

peoples  sought  power  and  glory.  Amorites  and  Hittites 
and  Canaanites  might  keep  their  place,  but  Israel  had 
the  secret  of  a  progress  of  which  they  never  dreamed. 
Wherever  the  tribes  settled,  when  they  advanced  to 
fulfil  their  destiny,  they  would  prove  a  new  force  in 
the  world. 

For  the  time  Israel  might  be  called  the  one  spiritual 
people.  It  was  this  Balaam  partly  saw,  and  made  the 
basis  of  his  striking  predictions.  The  modern  nations 
are  not  to  be  distinguished  by  the  same  testing  idea. 
The  thoughts  and  hopes  of  Christianity  have  entered 
more  or  less  into  all  that  are  civilised,  and  have  touched 
others  that  can  scarcely  be  called  so.  Yet  if  there  is 
any  oracle  for  the  peoples  of  our  century  it  is  one  that 
turns  on  the  very  point  which  Balaam  seems  to  have 
had  in  view.  But  it  is,  that  not  one  of  them,  as  a 
nation,  is  distinctly  moved  and  separated  from  others 
by  spirituality  of  aim.  Of  not  one  can  it  be  said  that 
it  is  confessedly,  eagerly,  on  the  way  to  a  Canaan 
where  the  Living  and  True  God  shall  be  worshipped, 
that  its  popular  movements,  its  legislation,  its  main 
endeavours  look  to  such  a  heavenly  result.  If  we  saw 
a  people  dwelling  apart,  with  a  high  spiritual  aim, 
resolutely  excluding  those  ideas  of  materialism  which 
dominate  the  rest,  of  them  it  would  not  be  presumptuous 
to  prophesy  in  the  high  terms  to  which  the  oracles  of 
Balaam  gradually  rose. 

Regarding  the  wish  with  which  the  diviner  closed  his 
first  mashai,  hard  things  have  been  said,  as  for  example, 
that  "even  in  his  sublimest  visions  his  egotism  breaks 
out ;  in  the  sight  of  God's  Israel  he  cries,  *  Let  me  die 
the  death  of  the  righteous.' "  ^  Here,  however,  there 
may  be  personal  sorrow  and  regret,  a  pathetic  con- 
fession of  human  fear  by  one  who  has  been  brought 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9-]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  297 

to  serious  thought,  rather  than  any  mere  egoistic 
craving.  Why  should  he  speak  of  death  ?  That  is 
not  the  theme  of  the  egotist.  We  hear  a  sudden 
ejaculation  that  seems  to  open  a  glimpse  of  his  heart. 
For  this  man,  like  every  son  of  Adam,  has  his  burden, 
his  secret  trouble,  from  v^hich  all  the  hopes  and  plans 
of  his  ambition  cannot  relieve  his  mind.  Now  for  the 
first  time  he  speaks  in  a  genuinely  religious  strain. 
**  There  are  the  righteous  whom  the  Great  Jehovah 
regards  with  favour,  and  gathers  to  Himself.  When 
their  end  comes  they  rest.  Alas !  I,  Balaam,  am  not 
one  of  them ;  and  the  shadows  of  my  end  are  not  far 
away !  Would  that  by  some  mighty  effort  I  could 
throw  aside  my  life  as  it  has  been  and  is,  revoke  my 
destiny,  and  enter  the  ranks  of  Jehovah's  people — 
were  it  only  to  die  among  them."    J 

Wistfully,  men  whose  life  has^oeen  on  the  low 
ground  of  mere  earthly  toil  and  pleasure  may,  in  like 
manner,  when  the  end  draws  near,  envy  the  confidence 
and  hope  of  the  good.  For  the  old  age  of  the  sensualist, 
and  even  of  the  successful  man  of  the  world,  is  under  a 
dull  wintry  sky,  with  no  prospect  of  another  morning, 
or  even  of  a  quiet  night  of  dreamless  sleep. 

"The  weariest  and  most  loathed  worldly  life, 
That  age,  ache,  penury,  and  imprisonment 
Can  lay  on  nature,  is  a  paradise 
To  what  we  fear  of  death." 

/Courage  and  peace  at  the  last  belong  to  those  alone 
who  have  kept  in  the  way  of  righteousness.  /  To  them 
and  no  others  light  shall  arise  in  the  darkness.  The 
faithfulness  of  God  is  their  refuge  even  when  the  last 
shadows  fall.  He  whom  they  trust  goes  before  them 
in  the  pillar  of  fire  when  night  is  on  the  world,  as  well 
as  in  the  pillar  of  cloud  by  day.     To  the  man  of  this 


298  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

earth  even  the  faUing  asleep  of  the  good  is  enviable, 
though  they  may  not  anticipate  a  blessed  immortality. 
Their  very  grave  is  a  bed  of  peaceful  rest,  for  living  or 
dying  they  belong  to  the  great  God. 

It  was  with  growing  dissatisfaction,  rising  to  anxiety, 
Balak  heard  the  first  oracle  that  fell  from  the  diviner's 
lips.  Despite  the  warning  he  had  received  that  only 
the  words  which  Jehovah  gave  should  be  spoken, 
he  hoped  for  some  kind  of  a  curse.  His  altars  had 
been  built,  his  oxen  arid  rams  sacrificed,  and  surely, 
he  thought,  all  would  not  be  in  vain !  Balaam  had  not 
travelled  from  Pethor  to  mock  him.  But  the  prophecy 
carried  not  a  single  word  of  heartening  to  the  enemies 
of  Israel.  The  camp  lay  in  the  full  sunshine  of 
fortune,  unobscured  by  the  least  cloud.  It  was  the 
first  blow  to  Balak's  malignant  jealousy,  and  might 
well  have  put  him  to  confusion.  But  men  of  his  sort 
are  rich  in  conjectures  and  expedients.  He  had  set 
his  mind  on  this  as  the  means  of  finding  advantage 
in  a  struggle  that  was  sure  to  come  ;  and  he  clung 
to  his  hope.  Although  the  curse  would  not  light  on 
the  whole  camp  of  Israel,  yet  it  might  fall  on  a  part, 
the  remote  outlying  portion  of  the  tribes.  In  super- 
stition men  are  for  ever  catching  at  straws.  If  the 
anger  of  some  heavenly  power,  what  power  mattered 
little  to  Balak,  could  be  once  enlisted  against  the  tribes, 
even  partially,  the  influence  of  it  might  spread.  And 
it  would  at  least  be  something  if  pestilence  or  lightning 
smote  the  utmost  part  of  that  threatening  encampment. 

One  must  be  sorry  for  men  whose  impotent  anger 
has  to  fall  on  expedients  so  miserably  inadequate. 
Moab  defeated  by  the  Amorites  sees  them  in  turn 
vanquished    and    scattered    by    this    host    which    has 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9]         BALAAM'S  PARABLES  299 


suddenly  appeared,  and  to  all  ordinary  reckoning  has 
no  place  nor  right  in  the  region.  Sad  as  was  the 
defeat  which  deprived  Balak  of  half  his  land  and  left 
his  people  in  poverty,  this  incursion  and  its  success 
foreboded  greater  trouble.  The  king  was  bound  to 
do  something,  and,  feeling  himself  unable  to  fight,  this 
was  his  scheme.  The  utter  uselessness  of  it  from 
every  point  of  view  gives  the  story  a  singular  pathos. 
But  the  world  under  Divine  providence  cannot  be 
left  in  a  region  where  superstition  reigns  and  pro- 
gress is  impossible — simply  that  a  people  like  the 
Moabites  may  settle  again  on  their  lees,  and  that 
others  may  continue  to  enjoy  what  seem  to  them  to 
be  their  rights.  There  must  be  a  stirring  of  human 
existence,  a  new  force  and  new  ideas  introduced 
among  the  peoples,  even  at  the  expense  of  war  and 
bloodshed.  And  our  sympathy  with  Balak  fails  when  we 
recollect  that  Israel  had  refrained  from  attacking  Moab 
in  its  day  of  weakness,  had  even  refrained  from  asking 
leave  to  pass  through  its  impoverished  territory.  The 
feelings  of  the  vanquished  had  been  respected.  Per- 
haps Balak,  with  the  perversity  of  a  weak  man  and  an 
incompetent  prince,  resented  this  as  much  as  anything. 
Balaam  was  now  brought  into  the  field  of  Zophim, 
or  the  Watchers,  to  the  "  top  of  Pisgah,"  whence  he 
could  see  only  a  part  of  the  camp  of  Israel.  The 
Hebrew  here  as  well  as  in  xxii.  41  is  ambiguous. 
It  has  even  been  interpreted  as  meaning  that  on  the 
first  occasion  part  of  the  encampment  only  was  in 
view,  and  on  the  second  occasion  the  whole  of  it 
(so  Keil  m  loco).  But  the  tenor  of  the  narrative 
corresponds  better  with  the  translation  given  in  the 
English  Version.  The  precise  spot  here  called  the 
top  of  Pisgah  has  not  been  identified.     In  the  opinion 


300  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  some  the  name  Pisgah  survives  in  the  modern 
Siaghah  ;  but  even  if  it  does  we  are  not  helped  in  the 
least.  Others  take  Pisgah  as  meaning  simply  ''  hill," 
and  read  "  the  field  of  Zophim  on  the  top  of  the  hill." 
The  latter  translation  would  obviate  the  difficulty  that 
in  Deut.  xxxiv.  i  it  is  said  that  Moses,  when  the  time 
of  his  death  approached,  "went  up  from  the  plains 
of  Moab  unto  Mount  Nebo,  to  the  top  of  Pisgah  that 
is  over  against  Jericho."  Pisgah  may  have  been  the 
name  of  the  range;  yet  again  in  Numb,  xxvii.  12, 
and  Deut.  xxxii.  49,  Abarim  is  given  as  the  name  of 
the  range  of  which  Nebo  is  a  peak.  We  are  led  to 
the  conclusion  that  Pisgah  was  the  name  in  general 
use  for  a  hill-top  of  some  peculiar  form.  The  root 
meaning  of  the  word  is  difficult  to  make  out.  It  may 
at  all  events  be  taken  as  certain  that  this  top  of  Pisgah 
is  not  the  same  as  that  to  which  Moses  ascended  to 
die.  Balak  and  his  princes  had  not  as  yet  ventured 
so  far  beyond  the  Arnon. 

At  Balaam's  request  the  same  arrangements  were 
made  as  at  Bamoth-Baal.  Seven  altars  were  built, 
and  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams  were  offered  ;  and 
again  the  diviner  withdrew  to  some  distance  to  seek 
omens.  This  time  his  meeting  with  Jehovah  gave 
him  a  more  emphatic  message.  It  would  seem  that 
with  the  passing  of  the  day's  incidents  the  vatic  fire 
in  his  mind  burned  more  brightly.  Instead  of  en- 
deavouring to  conciliate  Balak  he  appears  to  take 
delight  in  the  oracle  that  dashes  the  hopes  of  Moab  to 
the  ground.  He  has  looked  from  the  new  point  of 
vision  and  seen  the  great  future  that  awaits  Israel. 
It  is  vain  to  expect  that  the  decree  of  the  Almighty 
One  can  be  revoked.  Balak  must  hear  all  that  the 
spirit  of  Elohim  has  given  to  the  seer. 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9-]         BALAAM'S  PARABLES  301 


"  Up,  Balak,  and  hear  ; 
Hearken  to  me,  son  of  Zippor  : 
No  man  is  God,  that  He  should  He; 
And  no  son  of  man,  that  He  should  repent. 
Hath  He  said,  and  shall  He  not  do  it  ? 
And  spoken,  and  shall  He  not  make  good  ? 
Behold  to  bless  I  have  received  ; 
And  He  hath  blessed  and  I  cannot  undo. 
He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob, 
Nor  seen  perverseness  in  Israel. 
Jehovah  his  God  is  with  him  ; 
And  the  shout  of  .a  King  is  with  him. 
God  brings  them  forth  from  Egypt : 
Like  the  horns  of  the  wild  ox  are  his. 
Surely  no  snake-craft  is  in  Jacob, 
And  no  enchantment  with  Israel. 
At  the  time  it  shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and  Israel, 
What  hath  God  wrought  ! 
Behold  the  people  as  a  lioness  arises, 
And  as  a  lion  lifts  himself  up ; 
He  shall  not  lie  down  till  he  eat  the  prey, 
And  drink  the  blood  of  the  slain." 

The  confirmation  of  the  first  oracle  by  what  Balaam 
has  realised  on  his  second  approach  to  Jehovah  compels 
the  question  which  rebukes  the  king's  vain  desire. 
^^Hath  He  said,  and  shall  He  not  do  it?"  Balak 
did  not  know  Jehovah  as  Balaam  knew  Him.  This 
God  never  went  back  from  His  decision,  nor  recalled 
His  promises.  And  He  is  able  to  do  whatever  He 
wills.  Not  only  does  He  refuse  to  curse  Israel,  but 
He  has  given  a  blessing  which  Balaam  even,  powerful 
as  he  is,  cannot  possibly  hinder.  It  has  become 
manifest  that  the  judgment  of  God  on  His  people's 
conduct  is  in  no  respect  adverse.  Reviewing  their 
past,  the  diviner  may  have  found  such  failure  from  the 
covenant  as  would  give  cause  for  a  decision  against 
them,  partial  at  least,  if  not  general.  But  there  is  no 
excuse  for  supposing  that  Jehovah  has  turned  against 


302  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  tribes.  Their  recent  successes  and  present  position 
are  proofs  of  His  favour  unrevoked,  and,  it  would  seem, 
irrevocable.  There  is  a  King  with  this  people,  and 
when  they  advance  it  is  with  a  shout  in  His  honour. 
The  King  is  Jehovah  their  God  ;  mightier  far  than 
Balak  or  any  ruler  of  the  nations.  When  the  loud 
Hallelujah  rose  from  the  multitude  at  some  sacred 
feast,  it  was  indeed  the  shout  of  a  monarch. 

Singular  is  it  to  find  a  diviner  like  Balaam  noting  as 
one  of  the  great  distinctions  of  Israel  that  the  nation 
used  neither  augury  nor  divination.  The  hollowness 
of  his  own  arts  in  presence  of  the  God  of  Israel 
who  could  not  be  moved  by  them,  who  gave  His 
people  hope  without  them,  would  seem  to  have  im- 
pressed Balaam  profoundly.  He  speaks  almost  as  if 
in  contempt  of  the  devices  he  himself  employs.  Indeed, 
he  sees  that  his  art  is  not  art  at  all,  as  regards  Israel. 
The  Hebrews  trust  no  omens  ;  and  either  for  or  against 
them  omens  give  no  sign.  It  was  another  mark  of 
tlie  separateness  of  Israel.  Jehovah  had  fenced  His 
people  from  the  spells  of  the  magician.  True  to  Him, 
they  could  defy  all  the  sorcery  of  the  East.  And  when 
the  time  for  further  endeavour  came,  the  nations  around 
should  have  to  hear  of  the  God  who  had  brought  the 
Hebrew  tribes  out  of  Egypt.  With  a  lion-like  vigour 
they  would  rise  from  their  lair  by  the  Jordan.  The 
Canaanites  and  Amorites  beyond  should  be  their  prey. 
Already  perhaps  tidings  had  come  of  the  defeat  of 
Bashan  :  the  cities  on  the  other  side  Jordan  should 
fall  in  their  turn. 

As  yet  there  is  nothing  in  the  predictions  of  Balaam 
that  can  be  said  to  point  distinctly  to  any  future  event 
in  Israel's  histor}^  The  oracles  are  of  that  general 
kind  which  might  be  expected  from  a  man  of  the  world 


xxii.  39-:iixiv.  9-]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  303 


who  has  given  attention  to  the  signs  of  the  times  and 
perceived  the  value  to  a  people  of  strong  and  original 
faith.  But  taking  them  in  this  sense  they  may  well 
rebuke  that  modern  disbelief  which  denies  the  inspiring 
power  of  religion  and  the  striking  facts  which  come 
to  light  not  only  in  the  history  of  nations  like  Israel 
but  in  the  lives  of  men  whose  vigour  springs  from 
religious  zeal.  Balaam  saw  what  any  whose  eyes 
are  open  will  also  see,  that  when  the  shout  of  the 
Heavenly  King  is  among  a  people,  when  they  serve  a 
Divine  Master,  holy,  just,  and  true,  they  have  a  standing 
ground  and  an  outlook  not  otherwise  to  be  reached. 
The  critics  of  religion  who  take  it  to  be  a  mere  heat  of 
the  blood,  a  transient  emotion,  forget  that  the  grasp 
of  great  and  generous  principles,  and  the  thought  of  an 
Eternal  Will  to  be  served,  give  a  sense  of  right  and 
freedom  which  expediency  and  self-pleasing  cannot 
supply.  However  man  comes  to  be  what  he  is,  this  is 
certain,  that  for  him  strength  depends  not  so  much  on 
bodily  physique  as  on  the  soul,  and  for  the  soul  on 
religious  inspiration.  The  enthusiasm  of  pleasure- 
seeking  has  never  yet  made  a  band  of  men  indomitable, 
nor  need  it  be  expected  to  gi\Q  greatness ;  we  cannot 
persuade  ourselves  that  apart  from  God  our  blessed- 
ness is  a  matter  of  surpassing  importance.  We  are 
a  multitude  whose  individual  lives  are  very  small,  very 
short,  very  insignificant,  unless  they  are  known  to 
serve   some   Divine   end. 

It  has  been  seen  by  one  philosopher  that  if  the 
religious  sanction  be  taken  away  from  morality  some 
other  must  be  provided  to  fill  up  the  vacuum.  Further, 
it  may  be  said  that  if  the  religious  support  and  stimulus 
of  human  energy  be  withdrawn  there  will  be  a  greater 
vacuum  more  difficult  to  fill.     The  would-be  benefactors 


304  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  our  race,  who  think  that  the  superstition  of  a  personal 
God  js  effete  and  should  be  swept  away  as  soon  as 
possible,  so  that  man  may  return  to  nature,  might  do 
well  to  return  to  Balaam.  He  had  a  penetration  which 
they  do  not  possess.  And  singularly,  the  very  apostle 
of  that  impersonal  ''stream  of  tendency  making  for 
righteousness,"  which  was  once  to  be  put  in  the  place 
of  God,  did  on  one  occasion  unwittingly  remind  us  of 
this  prophet.  Mr.  Matthew  Arnold  had  a  difficult  thing 
to  do  when  he  tried  to  encourage  a  toiling  population 
to  go  on  toiling  without  hope,  to  plod  on  in  the  under- 
ground while  a  select  few  above  enjoyed  the  sunlight. 
The  part  was  that  of  a  diviner  finding  auguries  for  the 
inevitable.  But  he  spoke  as  one  who  had  to  pity  a 
poor  blind  Israel,  no  longer  inspired  by  the  shout  of  a 
king  or  the  hope  of  a  promised  land,  an  Israel  that 
had  lost  its  faith  and  its  w^ay  and  seemed  about  to 
perish  in  the  desert.  Well  did  he  know  how  difficult 
it  is  for  men  under  this  dread  to  endure  patiently  when 
those  above  have  abolished  God  and  the  future  life  ; 
men,  who  are  disposed  to  say,  yet  must  be  told  that 
they  say  vainly,  *'  If  there  is  nothing  but  this  life,  we 
must  have  it.  Let  us  help  ourselves,  whenever  we 
can,  to  all  we  desire."  Was  that  Israel  to  be  blessed 
or  cursed  ?  There  was  no  oracle.  Yet  the  cultured 
Balak,  hoping  for  a  spell  at  least  against  the  revolu- 
tionaries, had  a  rebuke.  The  prophet  did  not  curse ; 
he  had  no  power  to  bless.  But  Moab  was  shown  to 
be  in  peril,  was  warned  to  be  generous. 

Balaams  enough  there  are,  after  a  sort,  with  more 
or  less  penetration  and  sincerity.  But  what  the  peoples 
need  is  a  Moses  to  revive  their  faith.  The  hollow 
maledictions  and  blessings  that  are  now  launched 
incessantly  from  valley  to  hill,  from  hill  to  valley,  would 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9.]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  305 

be  silenced  if  we  found  the  leader  who  can  re-awaken 
faith.  It  would  be  superfluous,  then,  for  the  race 
in  its  fresh  hope  to  bless  itself,  and  vain  for  the 
pessimists  to  curse  it.  With  the  ensign  of  Divine 
love  leading  the  way,  and  the  new  heavens  and  earth 
in  view,  all  men  would  be  assured  and  hopeful,  patient 
in  suffering,  fearless  in  death. 

The  second  oracle  produced  in  the  mind  of  Balak 
an  effect  of  bewilderment,  not  of  complete  discomfiture. 
He  appears  to  be  caught  so  far  in  the  afQatus  that 
he  must  hear  all  the  prophet  has  to  tell.  He  de- 
sires Balaam  neither  to  curse  nor  bless ;  neutrality 
would  be  something.  Yet,  with  all  he  has  already 
heard  giving  clear  indication  what  more  is  to  be 
expected,  he  proposes  another  place,  another  trial  of 
the  auguries.  This  time  the  whole  of  Israel  shall 
again  be  seen.  The  top  of  Peor  that  looketh  down 
upon  Jeshimon,  or  the  desert,  is  chosen.  On  this 
occasion  when  the  altars  and  sacrifices  are  prepared 
the  order  is  not  the  same  as  before.  The  diviner  does 
not  retire  to  a  distance  to  seek  for  omens.  He  makes 
no  profession  of  mystery  now.  The  temperature  of 
thought  and  feeling  is  high,  for  the  spot  on  which  the 
company  gathers  is  almost  within  range  of  the  sen- 
tinels of  Israel.  The  adventure  is  surely  one  of  the 
strangest  which  the  East  ever  witnessed.  In  the 
dramatic  unfolding  of  it  the  actors  and  spectators 
are  alike  absorbed. 

The  third  prophetic  chant  repeats  several  of  the 
expressions  contained  in  the  second,  and  adds  little  ; 
but  it  is  more  poetical  in  form.  The  prophet  standing 
on  the  height  saw  ''  immediately  below  him   the  vast 

20 


3o6  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

encampment  of  Israel  amongst  the  acacia  groves  of 
Abel  Shittim — like  the  water-courses  of  the  moun- 
tains, like  the  hanging  gardens  beside  his  own  river 
Euphrates,  with  their  aromatic  shrubs  and  their  wide- 
spreading  cedars.  Beyond  them  on  the  western  side 
of  Jordan  rose  the  hills  of  Palestine,  with  glimpses 
through  their  valleys  of  ancient  cities  towering  on  their 
crested  heights.  And  beyond  all,  though  he  could 
not  see  it  with  his  bodily  vision,  he  knew  well  that 
there  rolled  the  deep  waters  of  the  great  sea,  with  the 
Isles  of  Greece,  the  Isle  of  Chittim — a  world  of  which 
the  first  beginnings  of  life  were  just  stirring,  of  which 
the  very  name  here  first  breaks  upon  our  ears."  From 
the  deep  meditation  which  passed  into  a  trance  the 
diviner  awoke  to  gaze  for  a  little  upon  that  scene,  to 
look  fixedly  once  more  on  the  camp  of  the  Hebrew 
tribes,  and  then  he  began  : — 

"  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  saith, 
And  the  man  whose  eye  was  closed  saith: 
He  saith  who  heareth  the  words  of  El, 
Who  seeth  the  vision  of  Shaddai, 
Falling  down  and  having  his  eyes  opened." 

Thus  in  the  consciousness  of  an  exalted  state  of  mind 
which  has  come  with  unusual  symptoms,  the  ecstasy  that 
overpowers  and  brings  visions  before  the  inward  eye, 
he  vaunts  his  inspiration.  There  is  no  small  resem- 
blance to  the  manner  in  which  the  afflatus  came  to  seers 
of  Israel  in  after-times ;  yet  the  description  points 
more  distinctly  to  the  rapture  of  one  like  King  Saul, 
who  has  been  swept  by  some  temporary  enthusiasm 
into  a  strain  of  thought,  an  emotional  atmosphere, 
beyond  ordinary  experience.  The  far-reaching  en- 
campment is  first  poetically  described,  with  images 
that  point  to  perennial  vitality  and  strength.      Then 


xxii.  39-xxiv.  9-]        BALAAM'S  PARABLES  307 

as  a  settled  nation  Israel  is  described,  irrigating 
broad  fields  and  sowing  them  to  reap  an  abundant 
harvest.  Why  comparison  is  made  between  the  power 
of  Israel  and  Agag  one  can  only  guess.  Perhaps  the 
reigning  chief  of  the  Amalekites  was  at  this  time 
distinguished  by  the  splendour  of  his  court,  so  that  his 
name  was  a  type  of  regal  magnificence.  The  images 
of  the  wild  ox  and  the  lion  are  repeated  with  additionael 
emphasis ;  and  the  strain  rises  to  its  climax  in  the 
closing  apostrophe : — 

**  Blessed  be  every  one  that  blesseth  thee 
And  cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth  thee." 

So  Strongly  is  Israel  established  in  the  favour  of 
Shaddai,  the  Almighty  One,  that  attempts  to  injure  her 
will  surely  recoil  on  the  head  of  the  aggressor.  And 
on  the  other  hand,  to  help  Israel,  to  bid  her  God-speed, 
will  be  a  way  to  blessedness.  Jehovah  will  make  the 
overflowing  of  His  grace  descend  like  rain  on  those 
who  take  Israel's  part  and  cheer  her  on  her  way. 

In  the  light  of  what  afterwards  took  place,  it  is  clear 
that  Balaam  was  in  this  last  ejaculation  carried  far  be- 
yond himself  He  may  have  seen  for  a  moment,  in  the 
flash  of  a  heavenly  light,  the  high  distinction  to  which 
Israel  was  advancing.  He  certainly  felt  that  to  curse 
her  would  be  perilous,  to  bless  her  meritorious.  But 
the  thought,  like  others  of  a  more  spiritual  nature, 
did  not  enter  deeply  into  his  mind.  Balaam  could 
utter  it  with  a  kind  of  strenuous  cordiality,  and  then 
do  his  utmost  to  falsify  his  own  prediction.  What 
matter  fine  emotions  and  noble  protestations  if  they 
are  only  momentary  and  superficial  ?  Balak's  open 
jealousy  and  hatred  of  Israel  were,  after  all,  more  com- 
plimentary   to  her   than   the  high-sounding    praises  of 


3o8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Balaam,  who  spoke  as  enjoying  the  elation  of  the 
prophet,  not  as  delighting  in  the  tenor  of  his  message. 
Israel  was  nothing  to  him.  Soon  the  prosperity  to 
which  she  was  destined  became  like  gall  and  wormwood 
to  his  soul.  The  encampment  roused  his  admiration  at 
the  time,  but  afterwards,  when  it  became  clear  that  the 
Israelites  would  have  none  of  him,  his  mood  changed 
towards  them,  ^mbition  ruled  him  to  the  end  yi  and 
if  the  Hebrews  did  not  offer  in  any  way  to  minister 
to  it,  a  man  like  Balaam  would  by-and-by  set  himself 
to  bring  down  their  pride.  Weak  humanity  gives 
many  examples  of  this.  The  man  who  has  been  an 
expectant  flatterer  of  one  greater  than  himself,  but  is 
denied  the  notice  and  honour  he  looks  for,  becomes, 
when  his  hopes  have  finally  to  be  renounced,  the  most 
savage  assailant,  the  most  bitter  detractor  of  his  former 
hero.  And  so  strong  often  are  the  minds  which  fall 
in  this  manner,  that  we  look  sometimes  with  anxiety 
even  to  the  highest. 


XXI 

THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR 
Numbers  xxiv.  lO-xxv.   18 

THE  last  oracle  of  Balaam,  as  we  have  it,  ventures 
into  far  more  explicit  predictions  than  the  others, 
and  passes  beyond  the  range  of  Hebrew  history.  Its 
chief  value  for  the  Israelites  lay  in  what  was  taken  to 
be  a  Messianic  prophecy  contained  in  it,  and  various 
bold  denunciations  of  their  enemies.  Whether  the 
language  can  bear  the  important  meanings  thus  found 
in  it  is  a  matter  of  considerable  doubt.  On  the  whole, 
it  appears  best  not  to  make  over-much  of  the  prescience 
of  this  mashal,  especially  as  we  cannot  be  sure  that  we 
have  it  in  the  original  form.  One  fact  may  be  given  to 
prove  this.  In  Jeremiah  xlviii.  45,  an  oracle  regarding 
Moab  embodies  various  fragments  of  the  Book  of 
Numbers,  and  one  clause  seems  to  be  a  quotation  from 
chap.  xxiv.  17.  In  Numbers  the  reading  is,  "  and 
break  down  ["'i?!!^"'.],  all  the  sons  of  tumult  [JW]  ; "  in 
Jeremiah  it  is,  "  and  the  crown  of  the  head  ["'ipii^l]  of 
the  sons  of  tumult  [jiN^]."  The  resemblance  leaves 
little  doubt  of  the  derivation  of  the  one  expression  from 
the  other,  and  at  the  same  time  shows  diversity  in  the 
text. 

The  earlier  deliverances  of  Balaam  had  disappointed 
the  king  of   Moab ;   the  third   kindled  his  anger.     It 

309 


3IO  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

was  intolerable  that  one  called  to  curse  his  enemies 
should  bless  them  again  and  again.  Balaam  would  do 
well  to  get  him  back  to  his  own  place.  That  Jehovah 
of  whom  he  spake  had  kept  him  from  honour.  If  he 
delayed  he  might  find  himself  in  peril.  But  the 
diviner  did  not  retire.  The  word  that  had  come  to  him 
should  be  spoken.  He  reminded  Balak  of  the  terms 
on  which  he  had  begun  his  auguries,  and,  perhaps  to 
embitter  Moab  against  Israel,  persisted  in  advertising 
Balak  "what  this  people  should  do  to  his  people  in  the 
latter  days." 

The  opening  was  again  a  vaunt  of  his  high  authority 
as  a  seer,  one  who  knew  the  knowledge  of  Shaddai. 
Then,  with  ambiguous  forms  of  speech  covering  the 
indistinctness  of  his  outlook,  he  spoke  of  one  whom  he 
saw  far  away,  in  imagination,  not  reality,  a  personage 
bright  and  powerful,  who  should  rise  star-like  out  of 
Jacob,  bearing  the  sceptre  of  Israel,  who  should  smite 
through  the  corners  of  Moab  and  break  down  the  sons 
of  tumult.  Over  Edom  and  Seir  he  should  triumph, 
and  his  dominion  should  extend  to  the  city  which  had 
become  the  last  refuge  of  a  hostile  people.  Of  spiritual 
power  and  right  there  is  not  a  trace  in  this  prediction. 
It  is  unquestionably  the  military  vigour  of  Israel 
gathered  up  into  the  headship  of  some  powerful  king 
Balaam  sees  on  the  horizon  of  his  field  of  view.  But 
he  anticipates  with  no  uncertainty  that  Moab  shall  be 
attacked  and  broken,  and  that  the  victorious  leader  shall 
even  penetrate  to  the  fastnesses  of  Edom  and  reduce 
them.  A  people  like  Israel,  with  so  great  vitality, 
would  not  be  content  to  have  jealous  enemies  upon  its 
very  borders,  and  Balak  is  urged  to  regard  them  with 
more  hatred  and  fear  than  he  has  yet  shown. 

The  view  that  this  prophecy  "  finds  its  preliminary 


xxiv.  lo-xxv.  i8.]     THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR  311 

fulfilment  in  David,  in  whom  the  kingdom  was  esta- 
blished, and  by  whose  victories  the  power  of  Moab 
and  Edom  was  broken,  but  its  final  and  complete 
fulfilment  only  in  Christ/'  is  supported  by  the  unani- 
mous belief  of  the  Jews,  and  has  been  adopted  by  the 
Christian  Church.  Yet  it  must  be  allowed  that  the 
victories  of  David  did  not  break  the  power  of  Moab 
and  Edom,  for  these  peoples  are  found  again  and 
again,  after  his  time,  in  hostile  attitude  to  Israel. 
And  it  is  not  to  the  purpose  to  say  that  in  Christ 
the  kingdom  reaches  perfection,  that  He  destroys  the 
enemies  of  Israel.  Nor  is  there  an  argument  for  the 
Messianic  reference  worth  considering  in  the  fact  that 
the  pseudo-Messiah  in  the  reign  of  Hadrian  styled 
himself  Bar-cochba,  son  of  the  star.  A  pretender  to 
Messiahship  might  snatch  at  any  title  likely  to  secure 
for  him  popular  support ;  his  choice  of  a  name  proves 
only  the  common  belief  of  the  Jews,  and  that  was 
very  ignorant,  very  far  from  spiritual.  There  is 
indeed  more  force  in  the  notion  that  the  star  by  which 
the  wise  men  of  the  East  were  guided  to  Bethlehem 
is  somehow  related  to  this  prophecy.  Yet  that  also  is 
too  imaginative.  The  oracle  of  Balaam  refers  to  the 
virility  and  prospective  dominance  of  Israel,  as  a 
nation  favoured  by  the  Almighty  and  destined  to  be 
strong  in  battle.  The  range  of  the  prediction  is  not 
nearly  wide  enough  for  any  true  anticipation  of  a 
Messiah  gaining  universal  sway  by  virtue  of  redeem- 
ing love.  It  is  becoming  more  and  more  necessary 
to  set  aside  those  interpretations  which  identify  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  with  one  who  smites  and  breaks 
down  and  destroys,  who  wields  a  sceptre  after  the 
manner  of  oriental  despots. 

In   Balaam's   vision    small    nations   with  which    he 


312  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

happens  to  be  acquainted  bulk  largely — the  Kenites, 
Amalek,  Moab,  and  Edom.  To  him  the  Amalekites 
appear  as  having  once  been  "  the  first  of  the  nations." 
We  may  explain,  as  before,  that  he  had  been  impressed 
on  some  occasion  by  what  he  had  seen  of  their  force 
and  the  royal  state  of  their  king.  The  Kenites, 
dwelling  either  among  the  cHffs  of  Engedi  or  the 
mountains  of  Galilee,  were  a  very  small  tribe  ;  and  the 
Amalekites,  as  well  as  the  people  of  Moab  and  Edom, 
were  of  little  account  in  the  development  of  human 
history.  At  the  same  time  the  prophecy  looks  in  one 
direction  to  a  power  destined  to  become  very  great, 
when  it  speaks  of  the  ships  of  Chittim.  The  course 
of  empire  is  seen  to  be  westward.  Asshur,  or  Assyria, 
and  Eber — the  whole  Abrahamic  race,  perhaps,  in- 
cluding Israel — are  threatened  by  this  rising  power, 
the  nearest  point  of  which  is  Cyprus  in  the  Great  Sea. 
Balaam  is,  we  may  say,  a  political  prophet :  to  class 
him  among  those  who  testified  of  Christ  is  to  exalt 
far  too  much  his  inspiration  and  read  more  into 
his  oracles  than  they  naturally  contain.  There  is  no 
deep  problem  in  the  narrative  regarding  him — as,  for 
instance,  how  a  man  false  at  heart  could  in  any  sense 
enter  into  those  gracious  purposes  of  God  for  the 
human  race  which  were  fulfilled  by  Christ. 

Balaam,  we  are  told,  "  rose  up  and  returned  to  his 
own  place  "  ;  and  from  this  it  would  seem  that  with 
bitterness  in  his  heart  he  betook  himself  to  Pethor. 
If  he  did  so,  vainly  hoping  still  that  Israel  would 
appeal  to  him,  he  soon  returned  to  give  Balak  and 
the  Midianites  advice  of  the  most  nefarious  kind. 
We  learn  from  xxxi.  1 6,  that  through  his  counsel 
the  Midianite  women  caused  the  children  of  Israel  to 


xxiv.io-xxv.i8.]     THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR  31^ 

commit  trespass  against  Jehovah  in  the  matter  of  Peor. 
The  statement  is  a  link  between  chaps,  xxiv.  and  xxv. 
Vainly  had  Balaam  as  a  diviner  matched  himself 
against  the  God  of  Israel.  Resenting  his  defeat,  he 
sought  and  found  another  way  which  the  customs  of 
his  own  people  in  their  obscure  idolatrous  rites  too 
readily  suggested.  The  moral  law  of  Jehovah  and 
the  comparative  purity  of  the  Israelites  as  His  people 
kept  them  separate  from  the  other  nations,  gave 
them  dignity  and  vigour.  To  break  down  this 
defence  would  make  them  like  the  rest,  would  with- 
draw them  from  the  favour  of  their  God  and  even 
defeat  His  purposes.  The  scheme  was  one  which 
only  the  vilest  craft  could  have  conceived ;  and  it 
shows  us  too  plainly  the  real  character  of  Balaam. 
He  must  have  known  the  power  of  the  allurements 
which  he  now  advised  as  the  means  of  attack  on  those 
he  could  not  touch  with  his  maledictions  nor  gain  by  . 
his  soothsaying.  In  the  shadow  of  this  scheme  of  his  \ 
we  see  the  diviner  and  all  his  tribe,  and  indeed  the  ; 
whole  morality  of  the  region,  at  their  very  worst. 

The  tribes  were  still  in  the  plain  of  Jordan  ;  and  we 
may  suppose  that  the  victorious  troops  had  returned 
from  the  campaign  against  Bashan,  when  a  band  of 
Midianites,  professing  the  utmost  friendliness,  gradually 
introduced  themselves  into  the  camp.  Then  began  the 
temptation  to  which  the  Midianitish  women,  some  of 
them  of  high  rank,  willingly  devoted  themselves.  It 
was  to  impurity  and  idolatry,  to  degradation  of  man- 
hood in  body  and  soul,  to  abjuration  at  once  of  faith 
and  of  all  that  makes  individual  and  social  life.  The 
orgies  with  which  the  Midianites  were  familiar  be- 
longed to  the  dark  side  of  a  nature-cuitus  which 
carried  the  distinction   between  male  and   female  into 


314  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

religious  symbolism,  and  made  abject  prostration  of 
life  before  the  Divinity  a  crowning  act  of  worship. 
Surviving  still,  the  same  practices  are  in  India  and 
elsewhere  the  most  dreadful  and  inveterate  barriers 
which  the  Gospel  and  Christian  civilisation  encounter. 
The  Israelites  were  assailed  unexpectedly,  it  would 
appear,  and  in  a  time  of  comparative  inaction.  Possibly, 
also,  the  camp  was  composed  to  some  extent  of  men 
whose  families  were  still  in  Kadesh  waiting  the  conquest 
of  the  land  of  Canaan  to  cross  the  border.  But  the 
fact  need  not  be  concealed  that  the  polygamy  which 
prevailed  among  the  Hebrews  was  an  element  in  their 
danger.  That  had  not  been  forbidden  by  the  law  ;  it 
was  even  countenanced  by  the  example  of  Moses.  The 
custom,  indeed,  was  one  which  at  the  stage  of  develop- 
ment Israel  had  reached  implied  some  progress ;  for 
there  are  conditions  even  worse  than  polygamy  against 
which  it  was  a  protest  and  safeguard.  But  like  every 
other  custom  falling  short  of  the  ideal  of  the  family,  it 
was  one  of  great  peril ;  and  now  disaster  came.  The 
Midianites  brought  their  sacrifices  and  slew  them ; 
the  festival  of  Baal-peor  was  proclaimed.  *'  The  people 
did  eat  and  bowed  down  to  their  gods."  It  was  a 
transgression  which  demanded  swift  and  terrible 
judgment.  The  chief  men  of  the  tribes  who  had  joined 
in  the  abominable  rites  were  taken  and  "  hanged  up 
before  the  Lord  against  the  sun " ;  the  '^judges  of 
Israel "  were  commanded  to  slay  "  every  one  his  men 
that  were  joined  unto  Baal-peor." 

The  narrative  of  the  '*  Priests'  Code,"  beginning  at 
ver.  6,  and  going  on  to  the  close  of  the  chapter,  adds 
details  of  the  sin  and  its  punishment.  Assuming  that 
the  row  of  stakes  with  their  ghastly  burden  is  in  full 
view,  and  the  dead  bodies  of  those  slain  by  the  exe- 


xxiv.  lo-xxv.  i8.]     THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR  315 

cutioners  are  lying  about  the  camp,  this  narrative  shows 
the  people  gathered  at  the  tent  of  meeting,  many  of 
them  in  tears.  There  is  a  plague,  too,  which  is  rapidly 
spreading  and  carrying  off  the  transgressors.  In  the 
midst  of  the  sorrow  and  wailing,  when  the  chief  men 
should  have  been  bowed  down  in  repentance,  one  of 
the  princes  of  Simeon  is  seen  leading  by  the  hand  his 
Midianitish  paramour,  herself  a  chiefs  daughter.  In 
the  very  sight  of  Moses  and  the  people  the  guilty  persons 
enter  a  tent.  Then  Phinehas,  son  of  Eleazar  the  priest, 
following  them,  inflicts  with  a  javelin  the  punishment 
of  death.  It  is  a  daring  but  a  true  deed  ;  and  for  it 
Phinehas  and  his  seed  after  him  are  promised  the 
"covenant  of  peace,"  even  the  "covenant  of  an  ever^ 
lasting  pri'esthood."  His  swift  stroke  has  vindicated 
the  honour  of  God,  and  "  made  an  atonement  for  the 
children  of  Israel."  An  act  like  this,  when  the  elemental 
laws  of  morality  are  imperilled  and  a  whole  people 
needs  a  swift  and  impressive  lesson,  is  a  tribute  to  God 
which  He  will  reward  and  remember.  True,  one  of 
the  priestly  house  should  keep  aloof  from  death.  But 
the  emergency  demands  immediate  action,  and  he  who 
is  bold  enough  to  strike  at  once  is  the  true  friend  of 
men  and  of  God. 

The  question  may  be  put,  whether  this  is  not 
justice  of  too  rude  and  ready  a  kind  to  be  praised  in 
the  name  of  religion.  To  some  it  may  seem  that  the 
honour  of  God  could  not  be  served  by  the  deed  attri- 
buted to  Phinehas  ;  that  he  acted  in  passion  rather 
than  in  the  calm  deliberation  without  which  justice 
cannot  be  dealt  out  by  man  to  man.  Would  not  this 
excuse  the  passionate  action  of  a  crowd,  impatient  of 
the  forms  of  law,  that  hurries  an  offender  to  the  nearest 
tree    or  lamp-post  ?     And  the  answer  cannot    be  that 


3i6  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

Israel  was  so  peculiarly  under  covenant  to  God  that 
its  necessity  would  exonerate  a  deed  otherwise  illegal. 
We  must  face  the  whole  problem  alike  of  personal  and 
of  united  action  for  the  vindication  of  righteousness  in 
times  of  widespread  license. 

It  is  not  necessary  now  to  slay  an  offender  in  order 
clearly  and  emphatically  to  condemn  his  crime.  In  that 
respect  modern  circumstances  differ  from  those  we  are 
discussing.  Upon  Israel,  as  it  was  at  the  time  of  this 
tragedy,  no  impression  could  have  been  made  deep  and 
swift  enough  for  the  occasion  otherwise  than  by  the  act 
of  Phinehas.  But  for  an  offender  of  the  same  rank  now, 
there  is  a  punishment  as  stern  as  death,  and  on  the 
popular  mind  it  produces  a  far  greater  effect — publicity, 
and  the  reprobation  of  all  who  love  their  fellowmen  and 
God.  The  act  of  Phinehas  was  not  assassination  ;  a 
similar  act  now  would  be,  and  it  would  have  to  be 
dealt  with  as  a  crime.  The  stroke  now  is  inflicted  by 
pubhc  accusation,  which  results  in  public  trial  and 
public  condemnation.  From  the  time  to  which  the 
narrative  refers,  on  to  our  own  day,  social  conditions 
have  been  passing  through  many  phases.  Occasionally 
there  have  been  circumstances  in  which  the  swift  judg- 
ment of  righteous  indignation  was  justifiable,  though  it 
did  seem  like  assassination.  And  in  no  case  has  such 
action  been  more  excusable  than  when  the  purity  of 
family  life  has  been  invaded,  while  the  law  of  the  land 
would  not  interfere.  We  do  not  greatly  wonder  that 
in  France  the  avenging  of  infidelity  is  condoned  when 
the  sufferer  snatches  a  justice  otherwise  unattainable. 
That  is  not  indeed  to  be  praised,  but  the  imperfection 
of  law  is  a  partial  apology.  The  higher  the  standard 
of  public  morality  the  less  needful  is  this  venture  on 
the  Divine  right  to  kill.     And  certainly  it  is  not  private 


xxiv.  lo-xxv.  i8.]     THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR  317 

revenge  that  is  ever  to  be  sought,  but  the  vindication 
of  the  elemental  righteousness  on  which  the  well-being 
of  humanity  depends.  Phinehas  had  no  private  revenge 
to  seek.     It  was  the  public  good. 

It  is  confidently  affirmed  by  Wellhausen  that  the 
^'  Priestly  Code  "  makes  the  cultus  the  principal  thing, 
and  this,  he  says,  implies  retrogression  from  the  earlier 
idea.  The  passage  we  are  considering,  like  many 
others  ascribed  to  the  "  Priests'  Code,"  makes  some- 
thing else  than  the  cultus  the  principal  thing.  We  are 
told  that  in  the  teaching  of  this  code  "  the  bond  be- 
tween cultus  and  sensuality  is  severed  ;  no  danger  can 
arise  of  an  admixture  of  impure,  immoral  elements,  a 
danger  which  was  always  present  in  Hebrew  antiquity." 
But  here  the  danger  is  admitted,  the  cultus  is  entirely 
out  of  sight,  and  the  sin  of  sensuality  is  conspicuous. 
When  Phinehas  intervenes,  moreover,  it  is  not  in 
harmony  with  any  statute  or  principle  laid  down  in  the 
'*  Priests'  Code " — rather,  indeed,  against  its  general 
spirit,  which  would  prohibit  an  Aaronite  from  a  deed 
of  blood.  According  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the  law 
the  priesthood  had  its  duties,  carefully  prescribed, 
by  doing  which  faithfulness  was  to  be  shown.  Here 
an  act  of  spontaneous  zeal,  done  not  "  on  the  positive 
command  of  a  will  outside,"  but  on  the  impulse 
arising  out  of  a  fresh  occasion,^  receives  the  approval 
of  Jehovah,  and  the  "  covenant  of  an  everlasting  priest- 
hood "  is  confirmed  for  the  sake  of  it.  Was  Phinehas 
in  any  sense  carrying  out  statutory  instructions  for 
atonement  on  behalf  of  Israel  when  he  inflicted  the 
punishment    of  death    on    Zimri    and    his   paramour? 

^  Wellhausen,  "  Prolegomena,"  p.  424. 


3i8  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

To  identify  the  ''  Priestly  Code  "  with  '*  cultus  legisla- 
tion," and  that  with  theocracy,  and  then  declare  the 
cultus  to  have  become  a  ''  pedagogic  instrument  of 
discipline,"  ^^  estranged  from  the  heart,"  is  to  make 
large  demands  on  our  inattention. 

In  the  closing  verses  of  the  chapter  another  question 
of  a  moral  nature  is  involved.  It  is  recorded  that 
after  the  events  we  have  considered  Jehovah  spake 
unto  Moses,  saying,  ''Vex  the  Midianites,  and  smite 
them ;  for  they  vex  you  with  their  wiles,  wherewith 
they  have  beguiled  you  in  the  matter  of  Peor,  and 
in  the  matter  of  Cozbi,  the  daughter  of  the  prince 
of  Midian,  their  sister,  which  w^as  slain  on  the  day 
of  the  plague  in  the  matter  of  Peor."  Now  is  it  for 
the  sake  of  themselves  and  their  own  safety  the 
Israelites  are  to  smite  Midian  ?  Is  retaliation  com- 
manded ?  Does  God  set  enmity  between  the  one 
people  and  the  other,  and  so  doing  make  confession 
that  Israel  has  no  duty  of  forgiveness,  no  mission  to 
convert  and  save  ? 

There  is  difficulty  in  pronouncing  judgment  as  to 
the  point  of  view  taken  by  the  narrator.  Some  will 
maintain  that  the  historian  here,  whoever  he  was, 
had  no  higher  conception  of  the  command  than  that 
it  was  one  which  sanctioned  revenge.  And  there 
is  nothing  on  the  face  of  the  narrative  which  can  be 
brought  forward  to  disprove  the  charge.  Yet  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  history  proceeds  on  the 
theocratic  conception  of  Israel's  place  and  destiny. 
To  the  writer  Israel  is  of  less  account  in  itself  than 
as  a  people  rescued  from  Egypt  and  called  to  nationality 
in  order  to  serve  Jehovah.  The  whole  tenor  of  the 
'*  Priests'    Code "    narrative    as   well    as    of  the    other 


xxiv.  lo-xxv.  i8.]     THE  MATTER  OF  BAAL-PEOR  319 

bears  this  out.  There  is  no  patriotic  zeal  in  the 
narrow  sense, — *'  My  country  right  or  wrong."  Scarcely 
a  passage  can  be  pointed  to  implying  such  a  sentiment, 
such  a  drift  of  thought.  The  underlying  idea  in  the 
whole  story  is  the  sacredness  of  morality,  not  of 
Israel ;  and  the  suppression  or  extinction  of  this  tribe 
of  Midianites  with  their  obscene  idolatry  is  God's 
will,  not  Israel's.  Too  plain,  indeed,  is  it  that  the 
Israelites  would  have  preferred  to  leave  Midian  and 
other  tribes  of  the  same  low  moral  cast  unmolested, 
free  to  pursue  their  own  ends. 

And  Jehovah  is  not  revengeful,  but  just.  The 
vindication  of  morality  at  the  time  the  Book  of  Numbers 
deals  with,  and  long  afterwards,  could  only  be  through 
the  suppression  of  those  who  were  identified  with 
dangerous  forms  of  vice.  The  forces  at  command  in 
Israel  were  not  equal  to  the  task  of  converting ;  and 
what  could  be  achieved  was  commanded — opposition, 
enmity  ;  if  need  were,  exterminating  war.  The  better 
people  has  a  certain  spiritual  capacity,  but  not  enough 
to  make  it  fit  for  what  may  be  called  moral  missionary 
work.  It  would  suffer  more  than  it  would  gain  if  it 
entered  on  any  kind  of  intercourse  with  Midian  with 
the  view  of  raising  the  standard  of  thought  and  life. 
All  that  can  be  expected  meanwhile  is  that  the  Israel- 
ites shall  be  at  issue  with  a  people  so  degraded; 
they  are  to  be  against  the  Midianites,  keep  them  from 
power  in  the  world,  subject  them  by  the  sword. 

Our  judgment,  then,  is  that  the  narrative  sustains 
a  true  theocracy  in  this  sense,  exhibits  Israel  as  a 
unique  phenomenon  in  human  history,  not  impossible, — 
there  lies  the  clear  veracity  of  the  Bible  accounts, — 
but  playing  a  part  such  as  the  times  allowed,  such  as 
the    world  required.     From    a  passage  like   that   now 


320  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

before  us,  and  the  sequel,  the  war  with  Midian,  which 
some  have  regarded  as  a  blot  on  the  pages  of  Scrip- 
ture, an  argument  for  its  inspiration  may  be  drawn. 
We  find  here  no  ethical  anachronisms,  no  im- 
practicable ideas  of  charity  and  pardon.  There  is  a 
sane  and  strenuous  moral  aim,  not  out  of  keeping  with 
the  state  of  things  in  the  world  of  that  time,  yet 
showing  the  rule  and  presenting  the  will  of  a  God  who 
makes  Israel  a  protesting  people.  The  Hebrews  are 
men,  not  angels ;  men  of  the  old  world,  not  Christians 
— true !  Who  could  have  received  this  history  if  it 
had  represented  them  as  Christians,  and  shown  us  God 
giving  them  commands  fit  for  the  Church  of  to-day  ? 
They  are  called  to  a  higher  morality  than  that  of  Egypt, 
for  theirs  is  to  be  spiritual ;  higher  than  that  of  Chaldea 
or  of  Canaan,  for  Chaldea  is  shrouded  in  superstition, 
Canaan  in  obscene  idolatry.  They  can  do  something ; 
and  what  they  can  do  Jehovah  commands  them  to  do. 
And  He  is  not  an  imperfect  God  because  His  prophet 
does  not  give  from  the  first  a  perfect  Christian  law,  a 
redeeming  gospel.  He  is  the  '*I  Am."  Let  the  whole 
course  of  Old  Testament  development  be  traced,  and 
the  sanity  and  coherency  of  the  theocratic  idea  as  it  is 
presented  in  law  and  prophecy,  psalm  and  parable, 
cannot  fail  to  convince  any  just  and  frank  inquirer. 

The  end  of  Balaam's  life  may  be  glanced  at  before 
the  pages  close  that  refer  to  his  career.  In  xxxi.  8, 
it  is  stated  that  in  the  battle  which  went  against 
the  Midianites  Balaam  was  slain.  We  do  not  know 
whether  he  was  so  maddened  by  his  disappointment 
as  to  take  the  sword  against  Jehovah  and  Israel,  or 
whether  he  only  joined  the  army  of  Midian  in  his 
capacity  of  augur.     F.  W.  Robertson    imagines    "  the 


xxiv.  lo-xxv.  i8.]     THE  MATTER   OF  BAAL-PEOR  32 ^ 

insane  frenzy  with  which  he  would  rush  into  the  field, 
and  finding  all  go  against  him,  and  that  lost  for  which 
he  had  bartered  heaven,  after  having  died  a  thousand 
worse  than  deaths,  find  death  at  last  upon  the  spears 
of  the  Israelites."  It  is  of  course  possible  to  imagine 
that  he  became  the  victim  of  his  own  insane  passion. 
But  Balaam  never  had  a  profound  nature,  was  never 
more  than  within  sight  of  the  spiritual  world.  He 
appears  as  the  calculating,  ambitious  man,  who  would 
reckon  his  chances  to  the  last,  and  with  coolness,  and 
Vv^hat  he  believed  to  be  sagacity,  decide  on  the  next 
thing  to  attempt.  But  his  penetration  failed  him,  as 
at  a  certain  point  it  fails  all  men  of  his  kind.  He 
ventured  too  far,  and  could  not  draw  back  to  safety. 

The  death  he  died  was  almost  too  honourable  for  this 
false  prophet,  unless,  indeed,  he  fell  fleeing  like  a 
coward  from  the  battle.  One  who  had  recognised  the 
power  of  a  higher  faith  than  his  countrymen  professed, 
and  saw  a  nation  on  the  way  to  the  vigour  that  faith  \ 
inspired,  who  in  personal  spleen  and  envy  set  in! 
operation  a  scheme  of  the  very  worst  sort  to  ruin  (^ 
Israel,  was  not  an  enemy  worth  the  edge  of  the  sword. 
Let  us  suppose  that  a  Hebrew  soldier  found  him  in 
flight,  and  with  a  passing  stroke  brought  him  to  the 
ground.  There  is  no  tragedy  in  such  a  death  ;  it  is  too 
ignominious.  Whatever  Balaam  was  in  his  boyhood, 
whatever  he  might  have  been  when  the  cry  escaped 
him,  '^  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,"  selfish 
craft  had  brought  him  below  the  level  of  the  manhood 
of  the  time.  Balak  with  his  pathetic  faith  in  cursing 
and  incantation  now  seems  a  prince  beside  the  augur. 
For  Balaam,  though  he  knew  Jehovah  after  a  manner, 
had  no  religion,  had  only  the  envy  of  the  religion  of 
others.     He  came  on  the  stage  with  an  air  that  almost 

21 


322  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

deceived  Balak  and  has  deceived  many.  He  leaves  it 
without  one  to  lament  him.  Or  shall  we  rather  suppose 
that  even  for  him,  in  Pethor  beyond  the  Euphrates,  a 
wife  or  child  waited  and  prayed  to  Sutekh  and,  when 
the  tidings  of  his  death  were  brought,  fell  into  inconsol- 
able weeping  ?  Over  the  worst  they  think  and  do  men 
draw  the  veil  to  hide  it  from  some  eyes.  And  Balaam, 
a  poor,  mean  tool  of  the  basest  cravings,  may  have  had 
one  to  believe  in  him,  one  to  love  him.  He  reminds  us 
of  Absalom  in  his  character  and  actions — Absalom,  a 
man  void  of  religion  and  morals  ;  and  for  him  the  father 
he  had  dethroned  and  dishonoured  wept  bitterly  in  the 
chamber  over  the  gate  of  Mahanaim,  "  My  son  Absalom  ! 
would  God  I  had  died  for  thee,  O  Absalom,  my  son, 
my  son  I "  So  may  some  woman  in  Pethor  have  wailed 
for  Balaam  fallen  under  the  spear  of  a  Hebrew 
warrior. 


XXII 

A   NEW  GENERATION 
Numbers  xxvi.,  xxvii 

THE  numbering  at  Sinai  before  the  sojourn  in 
the  Desert  of  Paran  has  its  counterpart  in  the 
numbering  now  recorded.  In  either  case  those  reckoned 
are  the  men  able  to  go  forth  to  war,  from  twenty  years 
old  and  upward.  Once,  an  easy  entrance  into  the  land 
of  promise  may  have  been  expected ;  but  that  dream 
has  long  passed  away.  Now  the  Israelites  are  made 
clearly  to  understand  that  the  last  effort  will  require 
the  whole  warlike  energy  they  can  summon,  the  best 
courage  of  every  one  who  can  handle  sword  or  spear. 
There  has  been  hitherto  comparatively  little  fighting. 
The  Amalekites  at  an  early  stage,  afterwards  the 
Amorites  and  the  Bashanites,  have  had  to  be  attacked. 
Now,  however,  the  serious  strife  is  to  begin.  Peoples 
long  established  in  Canaan  have  to  be  assailed  and 
dispossessed.  Let  the  number  of  capable  men  be' 
reckoned  that  there  may  be  confidence  for  the 
advance. 

Nothing  is  to  be  won  without  energy,  courage,  unity, 
wise  preparation  and  adjustment  of  means  to  ends. 
True,  the  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and  He  can  give  victory 
to  the  few  over  the  many,  to  the  feeble  over  the  strong. 
But  not  even  in  the  case  of  Israel  are  the  ordinary  laws 

323 


324  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

suspended.     This  people  has  an  advantage  in  its  faith. 
That  is  enough  to  support   the  army  in    the    coming 
struggle ;  and  the  Israelites  must  make  Canaan  theirs 
by  force  of  arms.     For,  surely,  in  a  sense,  there  is  right 
on  the  other  side,  the  right  of  prior  possession  at  least. 
The  Canaanites,  Hittites,  Jebusites,  Hivites  have  tilled 
the  land,  planted  vineyards,  built   cities,   and  fulfilled, 
so    far,    their    mission    in    the    world.      They,    indeed, 
never  feel  themselves  secure.     Often  one  tribe  falls  on 
the    territory  of  another,   and  takes  possession.     The 
right    to   the    soil    has  to    be  continually  guarded   by 
military  power  and   courage.     It  is  not  wonderful    to 
Amorites  that  another  race  should  attempt  the  conquest 
of  their   land.      But   it    would    be    strange,    humanly 
speaking  impossible,  that  a  weaker,  less  capable  people 
should  master  those  who  are  presently  in  occupation. 
By  the  great  laws  that  govern    human    development, 
the  dominant  laws  of  God  we  may  call  them,  this  could 
not  be.     Israel  must  show  itself  powerful,  must  prove 
the   right  of  might,    otherwise  it    shall    not    even  yet 
obtain  the  inheritance  it  has  long  been  desiring.     The. 
might  of  some  nations  is  purely  that  of  animal  physique 
and    dogged    determination.       Others    rise    higher    in 
virtue  of  their  intellectual  vigour,  splendid  discipline, 
and   ingenious   appliances.       Man    for   man,   Israelites 
should   be  a  match   for  any   people,   because  there  is 
trust  in  Jehovah,  and  hope  in  His  promise.     Now  the 
trial  of  battle  is  to  be  made  ;  the  Hebrews  are  to  realise 
that  they  will  need  all  their  strength. 

Do  we  ever  imagine  that  the  law  of  endeavour  shall 
be  relaxed  for  us,  either  in  the  physical  or  in  the 
spiritual  region  ?  Is  it  supposed  that  at  some  point, 
when  after  struggling  through  the  wilderness  we  have 
but   a   narrow   stream   between    us   and   the   coveted 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  325 

inheritance,  the  object  of  our  desire  shall  be  bestowed 
in  harmony  with  some  other  law,  having  been  procured 
by  other  efforts  than  our  own  ?  Thinking  so,  we  only 
dream.  What  we  gain  by  our  endeavour — physical, 
intellectual,  spiritual — can  alone  become  a  real  posses- 
sion. The  future  discipline  of  humanity  is  misunder- 
stood, the  forecast  is  altogether  wrong,  when  this  is  not 
comprehended.  In  this  world  we  have  that  for  which 
we  labour;  nothing  more.  So-called  properties  and 
domains  do  not  belong  to  their  nominal  owners,  who 
have  merely  **  inherited."  The  literature  of  a  country 
does  not  belong  to  those  who  possess  books  in  which  it 
is  contained  ;  it  is  the  domain  of  men  and  women  who 
have  toiled  for  every  ell  and  inch  of  ground.  And 
spiritually,  while  all  is  the  gift  of  God,  all  has  to  be 
won  by  efforts  of  the  soul.  Before  humanity  lies  a 
Canaan,  a  Paradise.  But  no  easy  way  of  acquisition 
shall  ever  be  found,  no  other  way  indeed  than  has  all 
along  been  followed.  The  men  of  God  able  to  go  forth 
to  war  need  to  be  numbered  and  brought  under  discipline 
for  the  conquests  that  remain.  And  what  is  yet  to 
be  won  by  moral  courage  and  devotion  to  the  highest 
shall  have  to  be  kept  in  like  manner. 

The  second  numbering  of  the  people  showed  that  a 
new  generation  filled  the  ranks.  Plagues  that  swept 
away  thousands,  or  the  slow,  sure  election  of  death, 
had  taken  all  who  left  Egypt  excepting  a  few.  It  was 
the  same  Israel,  yet  another.  Is,  then,  the  nation  of 
account,  and  not  the  individuals  who  compose  it  ? 
Perhaps  the  two  numberings  may  be  intended  to  guard 
us  against  this  error  ;  at  all  events,  we  may  take  them 
so.  Man  by  man,  the  host  was  reckoned  at  Sinai ;  man 
by  man  it  is  reckoned  again  in  the  plains  of  Moab. 
There   were    six    hundred    and    three    thousand    five 


326  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

hundred  and  fifty:  there  are  six  hundred  and  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty.  The  numberings 
by  the  command  of  Jehovah  could  not  but  mean  that 
His  eye  was  upon  each.  And  when  the  new  race 
looked  back  along  the  wilderness  way,  each  group 
remembering  its  own  graves  over  which  the  sand  of 
the  desert  was  blown,  there  might  at  least  be  the 
thought  that  God  also  remembered,  and  that  the 
mouldering  dust  of  those  who,  despite  their  trans- 
gression, had  been  brave  and  loving  and  honest,  was 
in  His  keeping.  Israel  was  experiencing  a  singular 
break  in  its  history.  It  would  begin  its  new  career 
in  Canaan  without  memorials,  except  that  cave  at 
Machpelah  where,  centuries  before,  Abraham  and  Sarah, 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  had  been  buried,  and  the  field  at 
Shechem  where  the  body  of  Joseph  was  laid.  No 
graves  but  these  would  be  the  monuments  of  Israel. 
In  Jehovah,  the  Ancient  of  Days,  lay  the  history,  with 
Him  the  career  of  the  tribes. 

The  past  receding,  the  future  advancing,  and  God 
the  sole  abiding  link  between  them.  For  us,  as  for 
Israel,  notwithstanding  all  our  care  of  the  monuments 
and  gains  of  the  past,  that  is  the  one  sustaining  faith  ; 
and  it  is  adequate,  inspiring.  The  swift  decay  of  life, 
the  constant  flux  of  humanity,  would  be  our  despair  if 
we  had  not  God. 

"  Thou  earnest  them  away  as  with  a  flood  ;  they  are  as  a  sleep  : 
In  the  morning  they  are  like  grass  which  groweth  up. 
In  the  morning  it  flourisheth  and  groweth   up  ; 
In  the  evening  it  is  cut  down  and  withereth." 

So  the  "  Pra3^er  of  Moses  the  man  of  God,"  under  the 
saddening  thought  of  mortality.  But  God  is  "from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,"  '^  the  dwelling  place  of  His 
people  in  all  generations."     The  life  that  begins  in  the 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A    NEW  GENERATION  327 


Divine  will,  and  enjoys  its  day  under  the  Divine  care, 
blends  with  the  current,  yet  is  not  absorbed.  A 
generation  or  a  people  lives  only  as  the  men  and 
women  that  compose  it  live.  Such  is  the  final 
judgment,  Christ's  judgm.ent,  by  which  all  providence 
is  to  be  interpreted.  An  Israelite  might  enter  much 
into  the  national  hope,  and  to  some  extent  forget 
himself  for  the  sake  of  it.  But  his  proper  life 
was  never  in  that  forgetfulness :  it  was  always  in 
personal  energy  of  will  and  soul  that  contributed  to 
the  nation's  strength  and  progress.  The  tribes, 
Reuben,  Simeon,  Judah,  and  the  rest,  are  mustered. 
But  the  men  make  the  tribes,  give  them  quality,  value ; 
or  rather,  of  the  men,  those  who  are  brave,  faithful, 
and  true. 

That  e?Lch  life  is  a  fact  in  the  Eternal  overflowing 
Life,  conscious  of  all — in  this  there  is  comfort  for  us 
who  are  numbered  among  the  millions,  with  no  par- 
ticular claim  to  reminiscence,  and  aware,  at  any  rate, 
that  when  a  few  years  pass  the  world  will  forget  us. 
In  vain  the  most  of  us  seek  a  niche  in  the  Valhalla  of 
the  race,  or  the  record  of  a  single  line  in  the  history 
of  our  time.  Whatever  our  suffering  or  achieving, 
are  we  not  doomed  to  oblivion  ?  The  grave-yard  will 
keep  our  dust,  the  memorial  stone  will  preserve  our 
names — but  for  how  long  ?  Until  in  the  evolutions 
that  are  to  come  the  ploughshare  of  a  covetous  age 
tears  up  the  soil  we  imagine  to  be  consecrated  for  ever. 
But  there  is  a  memory  that  does  not  grow  old,  in 
which  for  good  or  evil  we  are  enshrined.  '^  We  all 
live  unto  God."  The  Divine  consciousness  of  us  is 
our  strength  and  hope.  It  alone  keeps  the  soul  from 
despair — or,  if  the  life  has  not  been  in  faith,  stings 
with   a    desperate   reassurance.     Does   God  remember 


328  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

US  with  the  love  He  beareth  to  His  own  ?  In  any 
case  each  human  hfe  is  held  in  an  abiding  consciousness, 
a  purpose  which  is  eternal. 

The  page  of  Israel's  history  we  are  reading  preserves 
many  names.  It  is  in  outline  a  genealog}^  of  the 
tribes.  Reuben's  sons  are  Hanoch,  Pallu,  Hezron, 
Carmi.  The  son  of  Pallu  is  Eliab.  The  sons  of  Eliab 
are  Nemuel,  Dathan,  and  Abiram.  And  of  Dathan  and 
Abiram  we  are  reminded  that  they  strove  against 
Moses  and  Aaron  in  the  company  of  Korah ;  and  the 
earth  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  them  up.  The 
judgment  of  evildoers  is  commemorated.  The  rest 
have  their  praise  in  this  alone,  that  they  held  aloof 
from  the  sin.  Turn  to  other  tribes,  Zebulun,  Asher, 
Naphtali,  for  instance,  and  in  the  case  of  each  the 
names  of  those  who  were  heads  of  families  are  given. 
In  the  First  Book  of  Chronicles  the  genealogy  is 
extended,  with  various  details  of  settlement  and  history. 
In  what  are  we  to  find  the  explanation  of  this  attempt 
to  preserve  the  lineage  of  families,  and  the  ancestral 
names  ?  If  the  progenitors  were  great  men,  distinguished 
by  heroism,  or  by  faith,  the  pride  of  the  descendants 
might  have  a  show  of  reason.  Or  again,  if  the  families 
had  kept  the  pure  Hebrew  descent  we  should  be  able 
to  understand.  But  no  greatness  is  assigned  to  the 
heads  of  families,  not  a  single  mark  of  achievement  or 
distinction.  And  the  Israelites  did  not  preserve  their 
purity  of  race.  In  Canaan,  as  we  learn  from  the  Book 
of  Judges,  they  *'  dwelt  among  the  Canaanites,  the 
Hittite,  and  the  Amorite,  and  the  Perizzite,  and  the 
Hivite,  and  the  Jebusite  :  and  they  took  their  daughters 
to  be  their  wives,  and  gave  their  own  daughters  to 
their  sons,   and  served  their  gods  "  (iii.   5,   6). 

The   sole  reason  we  can  find   for   these  records  is 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  329 

the  consciousness  of  a  duty  which  the  Israehtes  felt, 
but  did  not  always  perform — to  keep  themselves 
separate  as  Jehovah's  people.  In  the  more  energetic 
minds,  through  all  national  defection  and  error,  that 
consciousness  survived.  And  it  served  its  end.  The 
Bene-Israel,  tracing  their  descent  through  the  heads  of 
families  and  tribes  to  Jacob,  Isaac,  Abraham,  realised 
their  distinctness  from  other  races  and  entered  upon 
a  unique  destiny  which  is  not  yet  fulfilled.  It  is  a 
singular  testimony  to  what  on  the  human  side  appears 
as  an  idea,  a  sentiment ;  to  what  on  the  Divine  side 
is  a  purpose  running  through  the  ages.  Because  of 
this  human  sentiment  and  this  Divine  purpose,  the 
former  maintained  apparently  by  the  pride  of  race,  by 
genealogies,  by  traditions  often  singularly  unspiritual, 
but  really  by  the  over-ruling  providence  of  God,  Israel 
became  unique,  and  filled  an  extraordinary  place  among 
the  nations.  Many  things  co-operated  to  make  her  a 
people  regarding  whom  it  could  be  said  :  "  Israel  never 
stood  quietly  by  to  see  the  world  badly  governed, 
under  the  authority  of  a  God  reputed  to  be  just.  Her 
sages  burned  with  anger  over  the  abuses  of  the  world. 
A  bad  man,  dying  old,  rich,  and  at  ease,  kindled  their 
fury ;  and  the  prophets  in  the  ninth  century  b.c. 
elevated  this  idea  to  the  height  of  a  dogma.  .  .  .  The 
childhood  of  the  elect  is  full  of  signs  and  prognostics, 
which  are  only  recognised  afterwards."  A  race  may 
treasure  its  ancient  records  and  venerated  names  to 
little  purpose,  may  preserve  them  with  no  other  resu]  t 
than  to  mark  its  own  degeneracy  and  failure.  Israel 
did  not.  The  Unseen  King  of  this  people  so  ordered 
their  history  that  greater  and  still  greater  names  were 
added  to  the  rolls  of  their  leaders,  heroes,  and  prophets, 
until  the  Shiloh  came. 


330  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

By  the  computations  that  survive,  a  diminished  yet 
not  greatly  diminished  number  of  fighting  men  was 
reckoned  in  the  plains  of  Moab.  Some  tribes  had 
fallen  away  considerably,  others  had  increased,  Simeon 
notably  among  the  former,  Judah  and  Manasseh  among 
the  latter.  The  causes  of  diminution  and  increase  alike 
are  purely  conjectural.  Simeon  may  have  been  involved 
in  the  sin  of  Baal-peor  more  than  the  others  and 
suffered  proportionately.  Yet  we  cannot  suppose  that, 
on  the  whole,  character  had  much  to  do  with  numerical 
strength.  Assuming  the  transgressions  of  which  the 
history  informs  us  and  the  punishments  that  followed 
thema,  we  must  believe  that  the  tribes  were  on  much 
the  same  moral  plane.  In  the  natural  course  of  things 
there  would  have  been  a  considerable  increase  in  the 
numbers  of  men.  The  hardships  and  judgments  of 
the  desert  and  the  defection  of  some  by  the  way  are 
general  causes  of  diminution.  We  have  also  seen 
reason  to  believe  that  a  proportion,  not  perhaps  very 
great,  remained  at  Kadesh,  and  did  not  take  the  journey 
round  Edom.  It  is  certainly  worthy  of  notice  with 
regard  to  Simeon  that  the  final  allocation  of  territory 
gave  to  this  tribe  the  district  in  which  Kadesh  was 
situated.  The  small  increase  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  is 
another  fact  shown  by  the  second  census ;  and  we 
remember  that  Simeon  and  Levi  were  brethren  (Gen. 
xlix.   5). 

The  numbering  in  the  plains  of  Moab  is  connected 
in  vv.  52-6  with  the  division  of  the  land  among  the 
tribes.  ''  To  the  more  thou  shalt  give  the  more 
inheritance,  and  to  the  fewer  thou  shalt  give  the  less 
inheritance  :  to  every  one  according  to  those  that  were 
numbered  of  him  shall  bis  inheritance  be  given."  The 
principle  of  allocation  is  obvious  and  just.     No  doubt 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  331 

the  comparative  value  of  different  parts  of  Canaan 
was  to  be  taken  into  account.  There  were  fertile 
plains  on  the  one  hand,  barren  highlands  on  the  other. 
These  reckoned  for,  the  greater  the  tribe  the  larger 
was  to  be  the  district  assigned  to  it.  An  elementary 
rule ;  but  how  has  it  been  set  aside !  Vast  districts  of 
Great  Britain  are  almost  without  inhabitants ;  others 
are  overcrowded.  An  even  distribution  of  people  over 
the  land  capable  of  tillage  is  necessary  to  the  national 
health.  In  no  sense  can  it  be  maintained  that  good 
comes  of  concentrating  population  in  immense  cities. 
But  the  policy  of  proprietors  is  not  more  at  fault  than 
the  ignorant  rush  of  those  who  desire  the  comforts  and 
opportunities  of  town  life. 

The  twenty-seventh  chapter  is  partly  occupied  with 
the  details  of  a  case  which  raised  a  question  of  in- 
heritance. Five  daughters  of  one  Zelophehad  of  the 
tribe  of  Manasseh  appealed  to  Moses  on  the  ground 
that  they  were  the  representatives  of  the  household, 
having  no  brother.  Were  they  to  have  no  possession 
because  they  were  women  ?  Was  the  name  of  their 
father  to  be  taken  away  because  he  had  no  son  ?  It  was 
not  to  be  supposed  that  the  want  of  male  descendants 
had  been  a  judgment  on  their  father.  He  had  died  in 
the  wilderness,  but  not  as  a  rebel  against  Jehovah,  like 
those  who  were  in  the  company  of  Korah.  He  had 
"  died  in  his  own  sins."  They  petitioned  for  an  in- 
heritance among  the  brethren  of  their  father. 

The  claim  of  these  women  appears  natural  if  the 
right  of  heirship  is  acknowledged  in  any  sense,  with 
this  reservation,  however,  that  women  might  not  be  able 
properly  to  cultivate  the  land,  and  could  not  do  much 
in  the  way  of  defending  it.     And  these,  for  the  time, 


332  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

were  considerations  of  no  small  account.  The  five 
sisters  may  of  course  have  been  ready  to  undertake 
all  that  was  necessary  as  occupiers  of  a  farm,  and  no 
doubt  they  reckoned  on  marriage.  But  the  original 
qualification  that  justified  heirship  of  land  was  ability 
to  use  the  resources  of  the  inheritance  and  take  part 
in  all  national  duties.  The  decision  in  this  case  marks 
the  beginning  of  another  conception — that  of  the 
personal  development  of  women.  The  claim  of  the 
daughters  of  Zelophehad  was  allowed,  with  the  result 
that  they  found  themselves  called  to  the  cultivation  of 
mind  and  life  in  a  manner  which  would  not  otherwise 
have  been  open  to  them.  They  received  by  the  judg- 
ment here  recorded  a  new  position  of  responsibility  as 
well  as  privilege.  The  law  founded  on  their  case  must 
have  helped  to  make  the  women  of  Israel  intellectually 
and  morally  vigorous. 

The  rules  of  inheritance  among  an  agricultural 
people,  exposed  to  hostile  incursions,  must,  Hke  that 
of  ver.  8,  assume  the  right  of  sons  in  preference  to 
daughters ;  but  under  modern  social  conditions  there 
are  no  reasons  for  any  such  preference,  except  indeed 
the  sentiment  of  family,  and  the  maintenance  of  titles 
of  rank.  But  the  truth  is  that  inheritance,  so-called, 
is  every  year  becoming  of  less  moral  account  as  com- 
pared with  the  acquisitions  that  are  made  by  personal 
industry  and  endeavour.  Property  is  only  of  value 
as  it  is  a  means  to  the  enlargement  and  fortifying  of 
the  individual  life.  The  decision  on  behalf  of  the 
daughters  of  Zelophehad  was  of  importance  for  what 
it  implied  rather  than  for  what  it  actually  gave.  It 
made  possible  that  dignity  and  power  which  we  see 
illustrated  in  the  career  of  Deborah,  whose  position  as 
a  **  mother  in  Israel  "  does  not  seem  to  have  depended 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEIV  GENERATION  333 

much,  if  at  ail,  on  any  accident  of  iniieritance  ;  it  was 
reached  by  the  strength  of  her  character  and  the  ardour 
of  her  faith. 

The  generation  that  came  from  Egypt  has  passed 
away,  and  now  (xxvii.  12)  Moses  himself  receives  his 
call.  He  is  to  ascend  the  mountain  of  Abarim  and 
look  forth  over  the  land  Israel  is  to  inhabit ;  then  he 
is  to  be  gathered  to  his  people.  He  is  reminded  of  the 
sin  by  which  Aaron  and  he  dishonoured  God  when 
they  failed  to  sanctify  Him  at  the  waters  of  Meribah. 
The  burden  of  the  Book  of  Numbers  is  revealed.  The 
brooding  sadness  which  lies  on  the  whole  narrative  is 
not  cast  by  human  mortality  but  by  moral  transgres- 
sion and  defect.  There  is  judgment  for  revolt,  as  of 
those  who  followed  Korah.  There  are  men  who  like 
Zelophehad  die  "in  their  own  sins,"  filling  up  the  time 
allowed  to  imperfect  obedience  and  faith,  the  limit  of 
existence  that  falls  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  And 
Moses,  whose  life  is  lengthened  that  his  honourable 
task  may  be  fully  done,  must  all  the  more  conspicuously 
pay  the  penalty  of  his  high  misdemeanour.  With  the 
goal  of  Israel's  great  destiny  in  view  the  narrative 
moves  from  shadow  to  shadow.  Here  and  throughout, 
this  is  a  characteristic  of  Old  Testament  history.  And 
the  shadows  deepen  as  they  rest  on  lives  more  capable 
of  noble  service,  more  guilty  in  their  disbelief  and 
defiance  of  Jehovah. 

The  rebuke  which  darkens  over  Moses  at  the  close 
and  lies  on  his  grave  does  not  obscure  the  greatness 
of  the  man ;  nor  have  all  the  criticisms  of  the  history 
in  which  he  plays  so  great  a  part  overclouded  his  per- 
sonality. The  opening  of  Israel's  career  may  not  now 
seem  so  marvellous  in  a  sense  as  once  it  seemed,  nor 


334  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

SO  remote  from  the  ordinary  course  of  Providence. 
Development  is  found  where  previously  the  complete 
law,  institution,  or  system  appeared  to  burst  at  once 
into  maturity.  But  the  features  of  a  man  look  clearly 
forth  on  us  from  the  Pentateuchal  narrative ;  and  the 
story  of  the  life  is  so  coherent  as  to  compel  a  belief 
in  its  veracity,  which  at  the  same  time  is  demanded 
by  the  circumstances  of  Israel.  A  beginning  there 
must  have  been,  in  the  line  which  the  earliest  prophets 
continued,  and  that  beginning  in  a  single  mind,  a 
single  will.  The  Moses  of  these  books  of  the  exodus 
is  one  who  could  have  unfolded  the  ideas  from  which 
the  nationality  of  Israel  sprang  :  a  man  of  smaller  mind 
would  have  made  a  people  of  more  ordinary  frame. 
Institutions  that  grow  in  the  course  of  centuries  may 
reflect  their  perfected  form  on  the  story  of  their  origin  ; 
it  is,  however,  certain  this  cannot  be  true  of  a  faith. 
That  does  not  develop.  What  it  is  at  its  birth  it  con- 
tinues to  be ;  or  if  a  change  takes  place  it  will  be  to 
the  loss  of  definiteness  and  power.  Kuenen  himself 
makes  the  three  universal  religions  to  be  Judaism, 
Mohammedanism  and  Christianity.  The  analogy  of 
the  two  latter  is  conclusive  with  regard  to  the  first — ■ 
that  Moses  was  the  author  of  Israel's  faith  in  Jehovah. 

And  this  involves  much,  both  with  regard  to  the 
human  characteristics  and  the  Divine  inspiration  of  the 
founder,  much  that  an  after-age  would  have  been  utterly 
incapable  of  imagiAing.  When  we  find  a  life  depicted 
in  these  Pentateuchal  narratives,  corresponding  in  all 
its  features  with  the  place  that  has  to  be  filled,  reveal- 
ing one  who,  under  the  conditions  of  Israel's  nativity, 
might  have  made  a  way  for  it  into  sustaining  faith,  it 
is  not  difficult  to  accept  the  details  in  their  substance. 
The  records  are  certainly  not  Moses'  own.     They  are 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A    NEW  GENERATION  335 

exoteric,  now  from  the  people's  point  of  view,  now  from 
that  of  the  priests.  But  they  present  with  wonderful 
fidelity  and  power  what  in  the  life  of  the  founder  went 
to  stamp  his  faith  on  the  national  mind.  And  the 
marvellous  thing  is  that  the  shadows  as  well  as  the 
lights  in  the  biography  serve  this  great  end.  The 
gloom  that  falls  at  Meribah  and  rests  on  Nebo  tells 
of  the  eharacter  of  Jehovah,  bears  witness  to  the 
Supreme  Royalty  which  Moses  lived  and  laboured  to 
exalt.  A  living  God,  righteous  and  faithful,  gracious 
to  them  that  trusted  and  served  Him,  who  also  visited 
iniquity — such  was  the  Jehovah  between  whom  and 
Israel  Moses  stood  as  mediator,  such  the  Jehovah  by 
whose  command  he  was  to  ascend  the  height  of  Abarim 
to  die. 

To  die,  to  be  gathered  to  his  people — and  what 
then  ?  It  is  at  death  we  reckon  up  the  account  and 
estimate  the  value  and  power  of  faith.  Has  it  made 
a  man  ready  for  his  change,  ripened  his  character, 
established  his  work  on  a  foundation  as  of  rock  ?  The 
command  which  at  Horeb  Moses  received  long  ago, 
and  the  revelation  of  God  he  there  enjoyed,  have  had 
their  opportunity  ;  to  what  have  they  come  ? 

The  supreme  human  desire  is  to  know  the  nature, 
to  understand  the  distinctive  glory  of  the  Most  High. 
At  the  bush  Moses  had  been  made  aware  of  the  presence 
with  him  of  the  God  of  his  fathers,  the  Fear  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  His  duty  also  had  been  made  clear. 
But  the  mystery  of  being  was  still  unsolved.  With 
sublime  daring,  therefore,  he  pursued  jthe  inquiry  : 
**  Behold  when  I  come  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and 
shall  say  unto  them.  The  God  of  your  fathers  hath  sent 
me  unto  you;  and  they  shall  say  to  me,  What  is  His 
name  ?  what  shall  I   say  unto  them  ?  "     The  answer 


336  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

came  in  apocalypse,  in  a  form  of  simple  words : — 
"  I  AM  THAT  I  AM."  The  solemn  Name  expressed  an 
intensity  of  life,  a  depth  and  power  of  personal  being, 
far  transcending  that  of  which  man  is  conscious.  It 
belongs  to  One  who  has  no  beginning,  whose  life  is 
apart  from  time,  above  the  forces  of  nature,  independent 
of  them.  Jehovah  says,  ''  I  am  not  what  you  see,  not 
what  nature  is,  standing  forth  into  the  range  of  your 
sight;  I  Am  in  eternal  separation,  self-existent,  with 
underived  fulness  of  power  and  life."  The  remoteness 
and  incomprehensibility  of  God  remain,  although  much 
is  revealed.  Whatever  experience  of  life  each  man 
sums  up  for  himself  in  saying  "  I  am,"  aids  him  in 
realising  the  life  of  God.  Have  we  aspired  ?  have  we 
loved  ?  have  we  undertaken  and  accomplished  ?  have 
we  thought  deeply  ?  Does  any  one  in  saying  ''  I  am  " 
include  the  consciousness  of  long  and  varied  life  ? — the 
''  I  AM "  of  God  comprehends  all  that.  And  yet  He 
changes  not.  Beneath  our  experience  of  life  which 
changes  there  is  this  great  Living  Essence.  "  I  am 
THAT  I  am,"  profoundly,  eternally  true,  self-consistent, 
with  whom  is  no  beginning  of  experience  or  purpose, 
yet  controlling,  harmonising,  yea,  originating  all  in  the 
unfathomable  depths  of  an  eternal  Will. 

Ideas  like  these,  we  must  believe,  shaped  themselves, 
if  not  clearly,  at  least  in  dim  outline  before  the  mind  of 
Moses,  and  made  the  faith  by  which  he  lived.  And  how 
had  it  proved  itself  as  the  stay  of  endeavour,  the 
support  of  a  soul  under  heavy  burdens  of  duty,  trial, 
and  sorrowful  consciousness  ?  The  reliance  it  gave 
had  never  failed.  In  Egypt,  before  Pharaoh,  Moses 
had  been  sustained  by  it  as  one  who  had  a  sanction  for 
his  demands  and  actions  which  no  king  or  priest  could 
claim.     At  Sinai  it  had  given  spiritual   strength   and 


xxvi.,xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  337 

definite  authority  to  the  law.  It  was  the  spirit  of 
every  oracle,  the  underlying  force  in  every  judgment. 
Faith  in  Jehovah,  more  than  natural  endowments,  made 
Moses  great.  His  moral  vision  was  wide  and  clear 
because  of  it,  his  power  among  the  people  as  a  prophet 
and  leader  rested  upon  it.  And  the  fruit  of  it,  which 
began  to  be  seen  when  Israel  learned  to  trust  Jehovah 
as  the  one  living  God  and  girt  itself  for  His  service,  has 
not  even  yet  been  all  gathered  in.  We  pass  by  the 
theories  of  philosophy  regarding  the  unseen  to  rest  in 
the  revelation  of  God  which  embodies  Moses'  faith. 
His  inspiration,  once  for  all,  carried  the  world  beyond 
polytheism  to  monotheism  unchallengeably  true,  in- 
spiring, sublime. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  death  tested  the  faith  of 
Moses  as  a  personal  reliance  on  the  Almighty.  How 
he  found  sufficient  help  in  the  thought  of  Jehovah  when 
Aaron  died,  and  when  his  own  call  came,  we  can  only 
surmise.  For  him  it  was  a  familiar  certainty  that  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  did  right.  His  own  decision 
went  with  that  of  Jehovah  in  every  great  moral  ques- 
tion ;  and  even  when  death  was  involved,  however 
great  a  punishment  it  appeared,  however  sad  a  necessity, 
he  must  have  said.  Good  is  the  will  of  the  Lord.  But 
there  was  more  than  acquiescence.  One  who  had  lived 
so  long  with  God,  finding  all  the  springs  and  aims  of  life 
in  Him,  must  have  known  that  irresistible  power  would 
carry  on  what  had  been  begun,  would  complete  to  its 
highest  tower  that  building  of  which  the  foundation  had 
been  laid.  Moses  had  wrought  not  for  self  but  for  God  ; 
he  could  leave  his  work  in  the  Divine  hand  with 
absolute  assurance  that  it  would  be  perfected.  And  as 
for  his  own  destiny,  his  personal  life,  what  shall  we 
say  ?     Moses  had  been  what  he  was  through  the  grace 

22 


338  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  Him  whose  name  is  "I  am  that  I  am."  He  could 
at  least  look  into  the  dim  region  beyond  and  say,  "  It 
is  God's  will  that  I  pass  through  the  gate.  I  am  spirit- 
ually His,  and  am  strong  in  mind  for  His  service.  I 
have  been  what  He  has  willed,  excepting  in  my  trans- 
gression. I  shall  be  what  He  wills  ;  and  that  cannot  be 
ill  for  me  ;  that  will  be  best  for- me."  God  was  gracious 
and  forgave  sin,  though  He  could  not  suffer  it  to  pass 
unjudged.  Even  in  appointing  death  the  Merciful  One 
could  not  fail  to  be  merciful  to  His  servant.  The 
thought  of  Moses  might  not  carry  him  into  the  future  of 
his  own  existence,  into  what  should  be  after  he  had 
breathed  his  last.  But  God  was  His;  and  he  was 
God's. 

So  the  personal  drama  of  many  acts  and  scenes 
draws  to  a  close  with  forebodings  of  the  end,  and  yet 
a  little  respite  ere  the  curtain  falls.  The  music  is 
solemn  as  befits  the  night-fall,  yet  has  a  ring  of  strong 
purpose  and  inexhaustible  sufficiency.  It  is  not  the 
"  still  sad  music  of  humanity  "  we  hear  with  the  words, 
*'  Get  thee  up  into  this  mountain  of  Abarim,  and  behold 
the  land  which  I  have  given  unto  the  children  of  Israel. 
And  when  thou  hast  seen  it,  thou  also  shalt  be  gathered 
unto  thy  people,  as  Aaron  thy  brother  was  gathered." 
It  is  the  music  of  the  Voice  that  awakens  life,  commands 
and  inspires  it,  cheers  the  strong  in  endeavour  and 
soothes  the  tired  to  rest.  He  who  speaks  is  not  weary 
of  Moses,  nor  does  He  mean  Moses  to  be  weary  of  his 
task.  But  this  change  lies  in  the  way  of  God's  strong 
purpose,  and  it  is  assumed  that  Moses  will  neither  rebel 
nor  repine.  Far  away,  in  an  evolution  unforeseen  by 
man,  will  come  the  glorification  of  One  who  is  the  Life 
indeed ;  and  in  His  revelation  as  the  Son  of  the 
Eternal  Father  Moses  will  share.     With  Christ  he  will 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  339 

speak    of  the  change   of  death  and   that    faith  wliich 
overcomes  all  change. 

The  designation  of  Joshua,  who  had  long  been  the 
minister  of  Moses,  and  perhaps  for  some  time  adminis- 
trator of  affairs,  is  recorded  in  the  close  of  the  chapter. 
The  prayer  of  Moses  assumes  that  by  direct  commission 
the  fitness  of  Joshua  must  be  signified  to  the  people. 
It  might  be  Jehovah's  will  that,  even  yet,  another 
should  take  the  headship  of  the  tribes.  Moses  spake 
unto  the  Lord,  saying,  ''  Let  Jehovah,  the  God  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh,  appoint  a  man  over  the  congregation 
which  may  go  out  before  them,  and  which  may  come 
in  before  them,  and  which  may  lead  them  out  and 
which  may  bring  them  in ;  that  the  congregation  of 
Jehovah  be  not  as  sheep  which  have  no  shepherd." 
One  who  has  so  long  endeavoured  to  lead,  and  found 
it  so  difficult,  whose  heart  and  soul  and  strength  have 
been  devoted  to  make  Israel  Jehovah's  people,  can 
relax  his  hold  of  things  without  dismay  only  if  he  is 
sure  that  God  will  Himself  choose  and  endow  the 
successor.  What  aimless  wandering  there  would  be 
if  the  new  leader  proved  incompetent,  wanting  wisdom 
or  grace  I  How  far  about  might  Israel's  way  yet  be, 
in  another  sense  than  the  compassing  of  Edom  I 
Before  the  Friend  of  Israel  Moses  pours  out  his  prayer 
for  a  shepherd  fit  to  lead  the  flock. 

And  the  oracle  confirms  the  choice  to  which  Providence 
has  already  pointed.  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  "  a  man 
in  whom  is  the  spirit,"  is  to  have  the  call  and  receive 
the  charge.  His  investiture  with  official  right  and 
dignity  is  to  be  in  the  sight  of  Eleazar  the  priest  and 
all  the  congregation.  Moses  shall  put  of  his  own 
honour    upon   Joshua    and    declare    his    commission, 


340  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

Joshua  shall  not  have  the  whole  burden  of  decision 
resting  upon  him,  for  Jehovah  will  guide  him.  Yet 
he  shall  not  have  direct  access  to  God  in  the  tent  of 
meeting  as  Moses  had.  In  the  time  of  special  need 
Eleazar  '^  shall  inquire  for  him  by  the  judgment  of  the 
Urim  before  Jehovah."  Thus  instructed,  he  shall 
exercise  high  authority. 

''  A  man  in  whom  is  the  spirit " — such  is  the  one 
outstanding  personal  qualification.  ''The  God  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh "  finds  in  Joshua  the  sincere  will, 
the  faithful  heart.  The  work  that  is  to  be  done  is  not 
of  a  spiritual  kind,  but  grim  fighting,  control  of  an  army 
and  of  a  people  not  yet  amenable  to  law,  under 
circumstances  that  will  try  a  leader's  firmness,  sagacity, 
and  courage.  Yet,  even  for  such  a  task,  allegiance 
to  Jehovah  and  His  purpose  regarding  Israel,  the 
enthusiasm  of  faith,  high  spirit,  not  experience — these 
are  the  commendations  of  the  chief.  Qualified  thus, 
Joshua  may  occasionally  make  mistakes.  His  calcula- 
tions may  not  always  be  perfect,  nor  the  means  he 
employs  exactly  fitted  to  the  end.  But  his  faith  will 
enable  him  to  recover  what  is  momentarily  lost ;  his 
courage  will  not  fail.  Above  all,  he  will  be  no  oppor- 
tunist guided  by  the  turn  of  events,  yielding  to  pressure 
or  what  may  appear  necessity.  The  one  principle  of 
faithfulness  to  Jehovah  will  keep  him  and  Israel  in  a 
path  which  must  be  followed  even  if  success  in  a 
worldly  sense  be  not  immediately  found. 

The  priest  who  inquires  of  the  Lord  by  Urim  has  a 
higher  place  under  Joshua's  administration  than  under 
that  of  Moses.  The  theocracy  will  henceforth  have 
a  twofold  manifestation,  less  of  unity  than  before.  And 
here  the  change  is  of  a  kind  which  may  involve  the 
gravest  consequences.      The  simple  statement  of  ver.  21 


xxvi.,  xxvii.]  A   NEW  GENERATION  341 

denotes  a  very  great  limitation  of  Joshua's  authority 
as  leader.  It  means  that  though  on  many  occasions 
he  can  both  originate  and  execute,  all  matters  of  moment 
shall  have  to  be  referred  to  the  oracle.  There  will  be 
a  possibility  of  conflict  between  him  and  the  priest 
with  regard  to  the  occasions  that  require  such  a  reference 
to  Jehovah.  In  addition  there  may  be  the  uncertainty 
of  responses  through  the  Urim,  as  interpreted  by  the 
priest.  It  is  easy  also  to  see  that  by  this  method  of 
appealing  to  Jehovah  the  door  was  opened  to  abuses 
which,  if  not  in  Joshua's  time,  certainly  in  the  time  of 
the  judges,  began  to  arise. 

It  may  appear  to  some  absolutely  necessary  to  refer 
the  Urim  to  a  far  later  date.  The  explanation  given 
by  Ewald,  that  the  inquiry  was  always  by  some  definite 
question,  and  that  the  answer  was  found  by  means  of 
the  lot,  obviates  this  difficulty.^  The  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim,  which  mean  ''clearness  and  correctness,"  or  as 
in  our  passage  the  Urim  alone,  may  have  been  pebbles 
of  different  colours,  the  one  representing  an  affirmative, 
the  other  a  negative  reply.  But  inquiry  appears  to 
have  been  made  by  these  means  after  certain  rites,  and 
with  forms  which  the  priest  alone  could  use.  It  is 
evident  that  absolute  sincerity  on  his  part,  and  un- 
swerving loyalty  to  Jehovah,  were  an  important  element 
in  the  whole  administration  of  affairs.  A  priest  who 
became  dissatisfied  with  the  leader  might  easily  frustrate 
his  plans.  On  the  other  hand,  a  leader  dissatisfied  with 
the  responses  would  be  tempted  to  suspect  and  perhaps 
set  aside  the  priest.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  here 
a  serious  possibility  of  divided  counsels  entered  into 
the   history  of  Israel,   and  we  are  reminded  of  many 

*  "  Antiquities  of  Israel :  "  "The  Priesthood." 


342  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

after  events.  Yet  the  circumstances  were  such  that 
the  whole  power  could  not  be  committed  to  one  man. 
With  whatever  element  of  danger,  the  new  order  had 
to  begin. 

Moses  laid  his  hands  on  Joshua  and  gave  him  his 
charge.  As  one  who  knew  his  own  infirmities,  he  could 
warn  the  new  chief  of  the  temptations  he  would  have 
to  resist,  the  patience  he  would  have  to  exercise.  It 
was  not  necessary  to  inform  Joshua  of  the  duties  of  his 
office.  With  these  he  had  become  familiar.  But  the 
need  for  calm  and  sober  judgment  required  to  be 
impressed  upon  him.  It  was  here  he  was  defective, 
and  here  that  his  **  honour "  and  the  maintenance  of 
his  authority  would  have  to  be  secured.  Deuteronomy 
mentions  only  the  exhortation  Moses  gave  to  be  strong 
and  of  a  good  courage,  and  the  assurance  that  Jehovah 
would  go  before  Joshua,  would  neither  farl  him  nor 
forsake  him.  But  though  much  is  recorded,  much  also 
remains  untold.  An  education  of  forty  years  had  pre- 
pared Joshua  for  the  hour  of  his  investiture.  Yet  the 
words  of  the  chief  he  was  so  soon  to  lose  must  have 
had  no  small  part  in  preparing  him  for  the  burden  and 
duty  which  he  was  now  called  by  Jehovah  to  sustain 
as  leader  of  Israel. 


XXIII 

OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS 
Numbers  xxviii.-xxx 

THE  legislation  of  chapters  xxviii.-xxx.  appears  to 
belong  to  a  time  of  developed  ritual  and  organ- 
ised society.  Parallel  passages  in  Exodus  and 
Leviticus  treating  of  the  feasts  and  offerings  are  by 
no  means  so  full  in  their  details,  nor  do  they  even 
mention  some  of  the  sacrifices  here  made  statutory. 
The  observances  of  New  Moon  are  enjoined  in  the 
Book  of  Numbers  alone.  In  chapter  xv.  they  are 
simply  noticed ;  here  the  order  is  fixed.  The  purpose 
of  chapters  xxviii.,  xxix.  is  especially  to  prescribe  the 
number  of  animals  that  are  to  be  offered  throughout 
the  year  at  a  central  altar,  and  the  quantities  of  other 
oblations  which  are  to  accompany  them.  But  the 
rotation  of  feasts  is  also  given  in  a  more  connected 
way  than  elsewhere ;  we  have,  in  fact,  a  legislative 
description  of  Israel's  Sacred  Year.  Daily,  weekly, 
monthly,  and  at  the  two  great  festal  seasons,  Jehovah 
is  to  be  acknowledged  by  the  people  as  the  Redeemer 
of  life,  the  Giver  of  wealth  and  blessedness.  Of  their 
cattle  and  sheep,  and  the  produce  of  the  land,  they  are 
to  bring  continual  oblations,  which  are  to  be  their 
memorial  before  Him.  By  their  homage  and  by  their 
gladness,  by  afflicting  themselves  and  by  praising  God, 
they  shall  realise  their  calling  as  His  people. 

343 


344  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

The  section  regarding  vows  (ch.  xxx.)  completes 
the  legislation  on  that  subject,  supplementing  Lev. 
xxvii.  and  Numb.  vi.  It  is  especially  interesting  for 
the  light  it  throws  on  the  nature  of  family  life,  the 
position  of  women  and  the  limitations  of  their  freedom. 
The  link  between  the  law  of  offerings  and  the  law  of 
vows  is  hard  to  find ;  but  we  can  easily  understand  the 
need  for  rules  concerning  women's  vows.  The  peace 
of  families  might  often  be  disturbed  by  lavish  promises 
which  a  husband  or  a  father  might  find  it  impossible 
or  inconvenient  to  fulfil. 

I.  The  Sacred  Year 

Numbers  xxviii.-xxix 

Throughout  the  year,  each  day,  each  sabbath,  and 
each  month  is  to  be  consecrated  by  oblations  of  varying 
value,  forming  a  routine  of  sacrifice.  First  the  Day, 
bringing  duty  and  privilege,  is  to  have  its  morning 
burnt  offering  of  a  yearling  lamb,  by  which  the  Divine 
blessing  is  invoked  on  the  labour  and  life  of  the  whole 
people.  A  meal  offering  of  flour  and  oil  and  a  drink 
offering  of  "  strong  drink  " — that  is,  not  of  water  or  milk, 
but  wine — are  to  accompany  the  sacrifice.  Again  in  the 
evening,  as  a  token  of  gratitude  for  the  mercies  of  the 
day,  similar  oblations  are  to  be  presented.  Of  this 
offering  the  note  is  made  :  '*  It  is  a  continual  burnt 
offering,  which  was  ordained  in  Sinai  for  a  sweet 
savour,  a  sacrifice  made  by  fire  unto  the  Lord." 

In  these  sacrifices  the  whole  of  time,  measured  out  by 
the  alternation  of  light  and  darkness,  was  acknowledged 
to  be  God's  ;  through  the  priesthood  the  nation  declared 
His  right  to  each  day,  confessed  obligation  to  Him  for 
the  gift    of  it.     The   burnt  offering  implied    complete 


xxviii.-xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS  345 

renunciation  of  what  was  represented.  No  part  of  the 
animal  was  kept  for  use,  either  by  the  worshipper  or 
the  priest.  The  smoke  ascending  to  heaven  dissipated 
the  entire  substance  of  the  oblation,  signifying  that  the 
whole  use  or  enjoyment  of  it  was  consecrated  to  God. 
In  the  way  of  impressing  the  idea  of  obligation  to 
Jehovah  for  the  gifts  of  time  and  life  the  daily  sacrifices 
were  valuable ;  yet  they  were  suggestive  rather  than 
sufficient.  The  IsraeUtes  throughout  the  land  knew 
that  these  oblations  were  made  at  the  altar,  and 
those  who  were  pious  might  at  the  times  appointed 
offer  each  his  own  thanksgivings  to  God.  But  the 
individual  expression  of  gratitude  was  left  to  the 
religious  sense,  and  that  must  often  have  failed.  At  a 
distance  from  the  sanctuary,  where  the  ascending 
smoke  could  not  be  seen,  men  might  forget ;  or  again, 
knowing  that  the  priests  would  not  forget,  they  might 
imagine  their  own  part  to  be  done  when  offering  was 
made  for  the  whole  people.  The  duty  was,  however, 
represented  and  kept  before  the  minds  of  all. 

In  the  Psalms  and  elsewhere  we  find  traces  of  a 
worship  which  had  its  source  in  the  daily  sacrifice.  The 
author  of  Psalm  cxli.,  for  example,  addresses  Jehovah  : 

"  Give  ear  unto  my  voice  when  I  cry  unto  Thee. 
Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  as  incense  before  Thee ; 
The  lifting  up  of  my  hands  as  the  evening  sacrifice." 

Less  clearly  in  the  fifth,  the  fifty-ninth,  and  the 
eighty-eighth  psalms,  the  morning  prayer  appears  to  be 
connected  with  the  morning  sacrifice  : 

"  O  Lord,  in  the  morning  shalt  Thou  hear  my  voice ; 

In  the  morning  will  I  order  my  prayer  unto  Thee, 

and  will  keep  watch  "  (Psalm  v.  3). 

The  pious  Hebrew  might  naturally  choose  the  morn- 


346  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

ing  and  the  evening  as  his  times  of  special  approach  to 
the  throne  of  Divine  grace,  as  every  behever  still  feels 
it  his  duty  and  privilege  to  begin  and  close  the  day 
with  prayer.  The  appropriateness  of  dawn  and  sunset 
might  determine  both  the  hour  of  sacrifice  and  the 
hour  of  private  worship.  Yet  the  ordinance  of  the 
daily  oblations  set  an  example  to  those  who  would 
otherwise  have  been  careless  in  expressing  gratitude. 
And  earnestly  religious  persons  learned  to  find  more 
frequent  opportunities.  Daniel  in  Babylon  is  seen  at 
the  window  open  towards  Jerusalem,  kneeling  upon  his 
knees  three  times  a  day,  praying  and  giving  thanks 
to  God.     The  author  of  Psalm  cxix.  says  : 

"  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  Thee, 
Because  of  Thy  righteous  judgments." 

The  grateful  remembrance  of  God  and  confession  of 
His  right  to  the  whole  of  hfe  were  thus  made  a  rule 
with  which  no  other  engagements  were  allowed  to 
interfere.  It  is  by  facts  like  these  the  power  of  religion 
over  the  Hebrews  in  their  best  time  is  explained. 

We  pass  now  to  the  Sabbath  and  the  sacrifices  by 
which  it  was  distinguished.  Here  the  number  seven 
which  recurs  so  frequently  in  the  statutes  of  the  sacred 
year  appears  for  the  first  time.  Connection  has  been 
found  between  the  ordinances  of  Israel  and  of  Glial dea 
in  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day  as  well  as  at 
many  other  points.  According  to  Mr.  Sayce,  the 
origin  of  the  Sabbath  went  back  to  pre-Semitic  days, 
and  the  very  name  was  of  Babylonian  origin.  ''  In  the 
cuneiform  tablets  the  sabbatu  is  described  as  a  ^  day  of 
rest  for  the  soul'  .  .  .  The  Sabbath  was  also  known, 
at  all  events  in  Accadian  times,  as  a  dies  nefastuSy  a 


xxviii.-xxix.]  OFFERINGS   AND    VOWS  347 

day  on  which  certain  work  was  forbidden  to  be  done ; 
and  an  old  hst  of  Babylonian  festivals  and  fast-days 
tells  us  that  on  the  seventh,  fourteenth,  nineteenth, 
twenty-first,  and  twenty-eighth  days  of  each  month  the 
Sabbath  rest  had  to  be  observed.  The  king  himself,  it 
is  stated,  '  must  not  eat  flesh  that  has  been  cooked  over 
the  coals  or  in  the  smoke,  he  must  not  change  the 
garments  of  his  body,  white  robes  he  must  not  wear, 
sacrifices  he  may  not  offer,  in  a  chariot  he  must  not 
ride.' "  The  soothsayer  was  forbidden  on  that  day 
'*  to  mutter  in  a  secret  place."  In  this  observance  of  a 
seventh  day  of  rest,  specially  sacred,  for  the  good  of 
the  soul,  ancient  Accadians  and  Babylonians  prepared 
the  way  for  the  Sabbath  of  the  Mosaic  law. 

But  while  the  days  of  the  Chaldean  week  were 
devoted  each  to  a  separate  divinity,  and  the  seventh 
day  had  its  meaning  in  relation  to  polytheism,  the 
whole  of  time,  every  day  alike,  and  the  Sabbaths  with 
greater  strictness  than  the  others,  were,  in  Israel's  law, 
consecrated  to  Jehovah.  This  difference  also  deserves 
to  be  noticed,  that,  while  the  Chaldean  seventh  days 
were  counted  from  each  new  moon,  in  the  Hebrew 
year  there  was  no  such  astronomical  date  for  reckon- 
ing them.  Throughout  the  3^ear,  as  with  us,  each 
seventh  day  was  a  day  of  rest.  While  we  find  traces 
of  old  religious  custom  and  observance  that  mingled 
with  those  of  Judaism  and  cannot  but  recognise 
the  highly  humane,  almost  spiritual  character  those 
old  institutions  often  had,  the  superiority  of  the  religion 
of  the  One  Living  and  True  God  clearly  proves  itself 
to  us.  Moses,  and  those  who  followed  him,  felt  no 
need  of  rejecting  an  idea  they  met  with  in  the  ancient 
beliefs  of  Chaldea,  for  they  had  the  Divine  light 
and  wisdom   by  which  the  earthly  and  evil  could  be 


348  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

separated  from  the  kernel  of  good.  And  may  we  not 
say  that  it  was  well  to  maintain  the  continuity  of 
observance  so  far  as  thoughts  and  customs  of  the  far 
past  could  be  woven  into  the  worship  of  Jehovah's 
flock?  Neither  was  Israel  nor  is  any  people  to  pre- 
tend to  entire  separation  from  the  past.  No  act  of 
choice  or  process  of  development  can  effect  it.  Nor 
would  the  severance,  if  it  were  made,  be  for  the  good 
of  men.  Beyond  the  errors  and  absurdities  of  human 
belief,  beyond  the  perversions  of  truth  due  to  sin, 
there  lie  historical  and  constitutional  origins.  The 
Sabbaths,  the  sacrifices,  and  the  prayers  of  ancient 
Chaldea  had  their  source  in  demands  of  God  and 
needs  of  the  human  soul,  which  not  only  entered  into 
Judaism,  but  survive  still  proving  themselves  in- 
separable from  our  thought  and  life. 

The  special  oblations  to  be  presented  on  the  Sabbath 
were  added  to  those  of  the  other  days  of  the  week. 
Two  lambs  of  the  first  year  in  the  morning  and  two 
in  the  evening  were  to  be  offered  with  their  appropriate 
meal  and  drink  offerings.  It  may  be  noted  that  in 
Ezekiel  where  the  Sabbath  ordinances  are  detailed 
the  sacrifices  are  more  numerous.  After  declaring  that 
the  eastern  gate  of  the  inner  court  of  the  temple, 
which  is  to  be  shut  on  the  six  working  days,  shall 
be  opened  on  the  Sabbath  and  in  the  day  of  the  new 
moon,  the  prophet  goes  on  to  say  that  the  prince,  as 
representing  the  people,  shall  offer  unto  the  Lord  in 
the  Sabbath  day  six  lambs  without  blemish  and  a  ram 
without  blemish.  In  the  legislation  of  Numbers,  how- 
ever, the  higher  consecration  of  the  Sabbath  as  com- 
pared with  the  other  days  of  the  week  did  not  require 
so  great  a  difference  as  Ezekiel  saw  it  needful  to  make. 
And,  indeed,  the  law  of  Sabbath  observance  assumes 


xxviii.-xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS  349 

in  Ezekiel  an  importance  on  various  grounds  which 
passes  beyond  the  high  distinction  given  it  in  the 
Pentateuch.  Again  and  again  in  chapter  xx.  the 
prophet  declares  that  one  of  the  great  sins  of  which 
the  IsraeHtes  were  guilty  in  the  wilderness  was  that  of 
polluting  the  Sabbath  which  God  had  given  to  be  a 
sign  between  Himself  and  them.  The  keeping  holy  of 
the  seventh  day  had  become  one  of  the  chief  safeguards 
of  religion,  and  for  this  reason  Ezekiel  was  moved  to 
prescribe  additional  sacrifices  for  that  day. 

We  find  as  we  go  on  that  the  week  of  seven  days, 
ended  by  the  recurring  day  of  rest,  is  an  element  in  the 
regulations  for  all  the  great  feasts^  Unleavened  bread 
was  to  be  eaten  for  seven  days.  Seven  weeks  were 
then  to  be  counted  to  the  day  of  the  firstfruits  and  the 
feast  of  weeks.  The  feast  of  tabernacles,  again,  ran 
for  seven  days  and  ended  on  the  eighth  with  a  solemn 
assembly.  The  whole  ritual  was  in  this  way  made  to 
emphasise  the  division  of  time  based  on  the  fourth 
commandment. 

The  New  Moon  ritual  consecrating  the  months  was 
more  elaborate.  On  the  day  when  the  new  moon  was 
first  seen,  or  should  by  computation  be  seen,  besides 
the  continual  burnt  offering  two  young  bullocks,  one 
ram,  and  seven  lambs  of  the  first  year,  with  meal  and 
drink  offerings,  were  to  be  presented.  These  animals 
were  to  be  wholly  offered  by  fire.  In  addition,  a  sin 
offering  was  to  be  made,  a  kid  of  the  goats.  Why  this 
guilt  sacrifice  was  introduced  at  the  new  moon  service 
is  not  clear.  Keil  explains  that  '*  in  consideration  of 
the  sins  which  had  been  committed  in  the  course  of  the 
past  month,  and  had  remained  without  expiation,"  the 
sin  offering  was  needed.     But    this  might    be  said  of 


350  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  week  in  its  degree,  as  well  as  of  the  month.  It 
is  certain  that  the  opening  of  each  month  was  kept 
in  other  ways  than  the  legislation  of  the  Pentateuch 
seems  to  require.  In  Numbers  it  is  prescribed  that 
the  silver  trumpets  shall  be  blown  over  the  new  moon 
sacrifices  for  a  memorial  before  God,  and  this  must 
have  given  the  observances  a  festival  air.  Then  we 
learn  from  i  Sam.  xx.  that  when  Saul  was  king  a 
family  feast  was  observed  in  his  house  on  the  first  day 
of  the  month,  and  that  this  day  also,  in  some  particular 
month,  was  generally  chosen  by  a  family  for  the  yearly 
sacrifice  to  which  all  were  expected  to  gather  (i  Sam. 
XX.  5,  6).  These  facts  and  the  festal  opening  of  Psalm 
Ixxxi.,  in  which  the  timbrel,  harp,  and  psaltery,  and 
joyful  singing  in  praise  of  God,  are  associated  with  the 
new  moon  trumpet,  imply  that  for  some  reason  the 
occasion  was  held  to  be  important.  Amos  (viii.  5) 
implies  further  that  on  the  day  of  new  moon  trade 
was  suspended  ;  and  in  the  time  of  Elisha  it  seems  to 
have  been  common  for  those  who  wished  to  consult  a 
prophet  to  choose  either  the  Sabbath  or  the  day  of  new 
moon  for  enquiring  of  him  (2  Kings  iv.  23).  There  can 
be  little  doubt  that  the  day  was  one  of  religious  activity 
and  joy,  and  possibly  the  offering  of  the  kid  for  expia- 
tion was  intended  to  counteract  the  freedom  the  more 
thoughtless  might  permit  themselves. 

There  are  good  reasons  for  believing  that  in  pre- 
Mosaic  times  the  day  of  new  moon  was  celebrated  by 
the  Israelites  and  all  kindred  peoples,  as  it  is  still 
among  certain  heathen  races.  Originally  a  nature 
festival,  it  was  consecrated  to  Jehovah  by  the  legislation 
before  us,  and  gradually  became  of  account  as  the 
occasion  of  domestic  gatherings  and  rejoicings.  But 
its  religious  significance  lay  chiefly  in  the  dedication  to 


xxviii.,  xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND    VOWS  351 

God  of  the  month   that    had  begun   and   expiation   of 
guilt  contracted  during  that  which  had  closed. 

We  come  now  to  the  great  annual  festivals.  These 
were  arranged  in  two  groups,  which  may  be  classed 
as  vernal  and  autumnal,  the  one  group  belonging  to 
the  first  and  third  months,  the  other  to  the  seventh. 
They  divided  the  year  into  two  portions,  the  intervals 
between  them  being  the  time  of  great  heat  and  the 
time  of  rain  and  storm.  The  month  Abib,  with  which 
the  year  began,  corresponded  generally  to  our  April  ; 
but  its  opening,  depending  on  the  new  moon,  might  be 
earlier  or  later.  One  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  festival 
season  of  this  month  was  the  presentation,  on  the 
sixteenth  day,  of  the  first  sheaf  of  harvest ;  and  seven 
weeks  afterwards,  at  Pentecost,  cakes  made  from  the 
first  dough  were  offered.  The  explanation  of  what 
may  appear  to  be  autumnal  offerings  in  spring  is  to  be 
found  in  the  early  ripening  of  corn  throughout  Pales- 
tine. The  cereals  were  all  reaped  during  the  interval 
between  Passover  and  Pentecost.  The  autumnal  festival 
celebrated  the  gathering  in  of  the  vintage  and  fruits. 

The  Passover,  the  first  great  feast,  a  sacrament 
rather,  is  merely  mentioned  in  this  portion  of  Numbers. 
It  was  chiefly  a  domestic  celebration — not  priestly — 
and  had  a  most  impressive  significance,  of  which  the 
eating  of  the  lamb  with  bitter  herbs  was  the  symbol. 
The  day  after  it,  the  '^  feast  of  unleavened  bread " 
began.  For  a  whole  week  leaven  was  to  be  abjured. 
On  the  first  day  of  the  feast  there  was  to  be  a  holy 
convocation,  and  no  servile  work  was  to  be  done.  The 
closing  day  likewise  was  to  be  one  of  holy  convocation. 
On  each  of  the  seven  days  the  offerings  were  to  be  two 
young  bullocks,  one  ram,  and  seven  yearling  he-lambs, 


352  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

with  their  meal   and  drink  offerings,  and  for  sin   one 
he-goat  to  make  atonement. 

The  week  of  this  festival,  commencing  with  the 
paschal  sacrament,  was  made  to  bear  peculiarly  on  the 
national  life,  first  by  the  command  that  all  leaven 
should  be  rigidly  kept  out  of  the  houses.  As  the 
ceremonial  law  assumed  more  importance  with  the 
growth  of  Pharisaism,  this  cleansing  was  sought  quite 
fanatically.  Any  crumb  of  common  bread  was  reckoned 
an  accursed  thing  which  might  deprive  the  observance 
of  the  feast  of  its  good  effect.  But  even  in  the  time 
of  less  scrupulous  legalism  the  effort  to  extirpate  leaven 
from  the  houses  had  its  singular  effect  on  the  people. 
It  was  one  of  the  many  causes  which  made  Jewish 
religion  intense.  Then  the  daily  sacrificial  routine,  and 
especially  the  holy  convocations  of  the  first  and  seventh 
days,  were  profoundly  solemnising.  We  may  picture 
thus  the  ceremonies  and  worship  of  these  great  days 
of  the  feast.  The  people,  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the 
land,  crowded  the  outer  court  of  the  sanctuary.  The 
priests  and  Levites  stood  ready  around  the  altar. 
With  solemn  chanting  the  animals  were  brought  from 
some  pl'ace  behind  the  temple  where  they  had  been 
carefully  examined  so  that  no  blemish  might  impair  the 
sacrifice.  Then  they  were  slain  one  by  one,  and 
prepared,  the  fire  on  the  great  altar  blazing  more  and 
more  brightly  in  readiness  for  the  holocaust,  while  the 
blood  flowed  away  in  a  red  stream,  staining  the  hands 
and  garments  of  those  who  officiated.  First  the  two 
bullocks,  then  the  ram,  then  the  lambs  were  one  after 
another  placed  on  the  flames,  each  with  incense  and 
part  of  the  meal  offering.  The  sin  offering  followed. 
Some  of  the  blood  of  the  he-goat  was  taken  by  the 
priest  and  sprinkled  on  the  inner  altar,  on  the  veil  of 


xxvni.,  XX 


ix.]  OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS  353 


the  Holy  of  Holies,  and  on  the  horns  of  the  great  altar, 
around  which  the  rest  was  poured.  The  fat  of  the 
animal,  including  certain  of  the  internal  parts,  was 
thrown  on  the  fire ;  and  this  portion  of  the  observances 
ended  with  the  pouring  out  of  the  last  drink  offering 
before  the  Lord.  Then  a  chorus  of  praise  was  lifted 
up,  the  people  throwing  themselves  on  the  ground  and 
praying  in  a  low,  earnest  monotone. 

To  this  followed  in  the  later  times  singing  of  chants 
and  psalms,  led  by  the  chorus  of  Levites,  addresses  to 
the  people,  and  shorter  or  longer  prayers  to  which 
the  worshippers  responded.  The  officiating  priest, 
standing  beside  the  great  altar  in  view  of  all,  nov/ 
pronounced  the  appointed  blessing  on  the  people. 
But  his  task  was  still  not  complete.  He  went  into  the 
sanctuary,  and,  having  by  his  entrance  and  safe  return 
from  the  holy  place  shown  that  the  sacrifice  had  been 
accepted,  he  spoke  to  the  assembly  a  few  words  of 
simple  and  sublime  import.  Finally,  with  repeated 
blessing,  he  gave  the  dismissal.  On  one  or  both  of 
these  occasions  the  form  of  benediction  used  was  that 
which  we  have  found  preserved  in  the  sixth  chapter  of 
this  book.^ 

It  is  evident  that  celebrations  like  these,  into  which, 
as  time  went  on,  the  mass  of  worshippers  entered  with 
increased  fervour,  gave  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread 
an  extraordinary  importance  in  the  national  life.  The 
young  Hebrew  looked  forward  to  it  with  the  keenest 
expectancy,  and  was  not  disappointed.  So  long  as 
faith  remained,  and  especially  in  crises  of  the  history 
of  Israel,  the  earnestness  that  was  developed  carried 
every  soul  along.  And  now  that  the  Israehtes  bewail 
the  loss  of  temple  and  country,  reckoning  themselves  a 

'   See  Ewald's  "Antiquities/' p.  131,  Solly's  translation. 

23 


354  T^tlE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

martyred  people,  this  feast  and  the  more  solemn  day 
of  atonement  nerve  them  to  endurance  and  reassure 
them  of  their  hope.  They  are  separate  still.  They 
are  Jehovah's  people  still.  The  covenant  remains. 
The  Messiah  will  come  and  bring  them  new  hfe  and 
power.  So  they  vehemently  cling  to  the  past  and 
dream  of  a  future  that  shall  never  be. 

''  The  day  of  the  firstfruits  "  was,  according  to  Lev. 
xxiii.  15,  the  fiftieth  day  from  the  morrow  after  the 
passover  sabbath.  The  special  harvest  offering  of  this 
''  feast  of  weeks  "  is  thus  enjoined  :  "  Ye  shall  bring  out 
of  your  habitations  two  wave  loaves  of  two  tenth  parts 
of  an  ephah ;  they  shall  be  of  fine  flour,  they  shall  be 
baken  with  leaven,  for  firstfruits  unto  the  Lord  "  (Lev. 
xxiii.  17).  According  to  Leviticus  one  bullock,  two 
rams,  and  seven  lambs ;  according  to  Numbers  two 
bullocks,  one  ram,  and  seven  lambs,  were  to  be 
sacrificed  as  whole  offerings ;  the  difference  being 
apparently  that  of  varying  usage  at  an  earlier  and  later 
time.  The  sin  offering  of  the  he-goat  followed  the 
burnt  offerings.  The  day  of  the  feast  was  one  of  holy 
convocation ;  and  it  has  peculiar  interest  for  us  as  the 
day  on  v/hich  the  pentecostal  effusion  of  the  Spirit 
came  on  the  gathering  of  Christians  in  the  upper  room 
at  Jerusalem.  The  joyous  character  of  this  festival 
was  signified  by  the  use  of  leaven  in  the  cakes  or 
loaves  that  were  presented  as  firstfruits.  The  people 
rejoiced  in  the  blessing  of  another  harvest,  the  fulfil- 
ment once  more  by  Jehovah  of  His  promise  to  supply 
the  needs  of  His  flock.  It  will  be  seen  that  in  every 
case  the  sin  offering  prescribed  is  a  single  he-goat. 
This  particular  sacrifice  was  distinguished  from  the 
whole    offerings,   the    thank    offerings,   and    the    peace 


xxviii.,  xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND    VOWS  355 

offerings,  which  were  not  Hmited  in  number.  *'  It  must 
stand,"  says  Ewald,  *'  in  perfect  isolation,  as  though  in 
the  midst  of  sad  soHtude  and  desolation,  with  nothing 
similar  or  comparable  by  its  side."  Why  a  he-goat 
was  invariably  ordered  for  this  expiatory  sacrifice  it 
is  difficult  to  say.  And  the  question  is  not  made 
more  easy  by  the  peculiar  rite  of  the  great  day  of 
atonement,  when  besides  the  goat  of  the  sin  offering  for 
Jehovah  another  was  devoted  to  *'  Azazel."  Perhaps 
the  choice  of  this  animal  implied  its  fitness  in  some 
way  to  represent  transgression,  wilfulness,  and 
rebelHon.  The  he-goat,  more  wild  and  rough  than 
any  other  of  the  flock,  seemed  to  belong  to  the  desert 
and  to  the  spirit  of  evi]. 

From  the  festivals  of  spring  we  now  pass  to  those 
of  autumn,  the  first  of  which  coincided  with  the  New 
Moon  of  the  seventh  month.  This  was  to  be  a  day 
of  holy  convocation,  on  which  no  servile  work  should 
be  done,  and  it  was  marked  by  a  special  blowing 
of  trumpets  over  the  sacrifices.  From  other  passages 
it  would  appear  that  the  trumpets  were  used  on  the 
occasion  of  every  new  moon ;  and  there  must  have 
been  a  longer  and  more  elaborate  service  of  festival 
music  to  distinguish  the  seventh.  The  offerings  pre- 
scribed for  it  were  numerous.  Those  enjoined  for 
the  opening  of  the  other  months  were  two  bullocks, 
one  ram,  seven  he-lambs  and  the  he-goat  of  the  sin 
offering.  To  these  were  now  added  one  bullock,  one 
ram,  and  seven  he-lambs.  Altogether,  including  the 
daily  sacrifices  which  were  never  omitted,  twenty-two 
animals  were  offered ;  and  with  each  sacrifice,  except 
the  he-goat,  fine  flour  mingled  with  oil  and  a  drink 
offering  of  wine  had  to  be  presented. 


356  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


There  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  seventh 
month  was  opened  in  this  impressive  way  because  of 
the  great  festivals  ordained  to  be  held  in  the  course  of 
it.  The  labour  of  the  year  was  practically  over,  and 
more  than  any  other  the  month  was  given  up  to 
festivity  associated  with  religion.  It  was  the  seventh 
or  sabbath  month,  forming  the  ''exalted  summit  of 
the  year,  for  which  all  preceding  festivals  prepared 
the  way,  and  after  which  everything  quietly  came 
down  to  the  ordinary  course  of  life."  The  trumpets 
blown  in  joyful  peals  over  the  sacrifices,  the  offering  of 
which  must  have  gone  on  for  many  hours,  inspired  the 
assembly  with  gladness,  and  signified  the  gratitude  and 
hope  of  the  nation. 

But  the  joy  of  the  seventh  month  thus  begun  did 
not  go  on  without  interruption.  The  tenth  day  was 
one  of  special  solemnity  and  serious  thought.  It  was 
the  great  day  of  confession,  for  on  it,  in  the  holy 
convocation,  the  people  were  to  **afQict  their  souls." 
The  transgressions  and  failures  of  the  year  were  to  be 
acknowledged  with  sorrow.  From  the  evening  of  the 
ninth  day  to  the  evening  of  the  tenth  there  was  to  be 
a  rigid  fast — the  one  fast  which  the  law  ordained. 
Before  the  full  gladness  of  Jehovah's  favour  can  be 
realised  by  Israel  all  those  sins  of  neglect  and  forgetful- 
ness  which  have  been  accumulating  for  twelve  months 
must  be  confessed,  bewailed,  and  taken  away.  There 
are  those  who  have  become  unclean  without  being 
aware  of  their  defilement ;  those  who  have  unwittingly 
broken  the  Sabbath  law ;  those  who  have  for  some 
reason  been  unable  to  keep  the  passover,  or  who  have 
kept  it  imperfectly ;  others  again  have  failed  to  render 
tithes  of  all  the  produce  of  their  land  according  to  the 
law ;  and  priests  and  Levites  called  to  a  high  consecra- 


xxviii.,xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND    VOWS  357 

tion  have  come  short  of  their  duty.  With  such  defects 
and  sins  of  error  the  nation  is  to  charge  itself,  each 
individual  acknowledging  his  own  faults.  Unless  this 
is  done  a  shadow  must  lie  on  the  life  of  the  people ; 
they  cannot  enjoy  the  light  of  the  countenance  of  God. 

For  this  day  the  whole  offerings  are,  one  young 
bullock,  one  ram,  seven  he-lambs ;  and  there  is  this 
peculiarity,  that,  besides  a  he-goat  for  a  sin  offering, 
there  is  to  be  provided  another  he-goat,  "  for  atone- 
ment." Maimonides  says  that  the  second  he-goat  is 
not  that  *'  for  Azazel,"  but  the  fellow  of  it,  the  one  on 
which  the  lot  had  fallen  ''  for  Jehovah."  Leviticus 
again  informs  us  that  Aaron  was  to  sacrifice  a  bullock 
as  a  sin  offering  for  himself  and  his  house.  And  it  was 
the  blood  of  this  bullock  and  of  the  second  he-goat 
he  was  to  take  and  sprinkle  on  the  ark  and  before  the 
mercy-seat.  Further,  it  is  prescribed  that  the  bodies 
of  these  animals  are  to  be  carried  forth  without  the 
camp  and  wholly  burned — as  if  the  sin  clinging  to 
them  had  made  them  unfit  for  use  in  any  way. 

The  great  atonement  thus  made,  the  reaction  of 
joy  set  in.  Nothing  in  Jewish  worship  exceeded  the 
solemnity  of  the  fast,  and  in  contrast  with  that  the 
gladness  of  the  forgiven  multitude.  Another  crisis  was 
past,  another  year  of  Jehovah's  favour  had  begun. 
Those  who  had  been  prostrate  in  sorrow  and  fear  rose 
up  to  sing  their  hallelujahs.  "The  deep  seriousness 
of  the  Day  of  Atonement,"  says  Delitzsch,  "  was  trans- 
formed on  the  evening  of  the  same  day  into  light- 
hearted  merriment.  The  observance  in  the  temple 
was  accomplished  in  a  significant  drama  which  was 
fascinating  from  beginning  to  end.  When  the  high 
priest  came  forth  from  the  Most  Holy  Place,  after  the 
performance   of  his   functions  there,  this  was   for  the 


358  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

people  a  consolatory,  gladsome  sight,  for  which  poetry 
can  find  no  adequate  words :  *  Like  the  peace-proclaiming 
arch  in  painted  clouds ;  like  the  morning  star,  when  he 
arises  from  the  eastern  twilight ;  like  the  sun,  when 
opening  his  bud,  he  unfolds  in  roseate  hue.'  When 
the  solemnity  was  over,  the  high  priest  was  escorted 
with  a  guard  of  honour  to  his  dwelling  in  the  city, 
where  a  banquet  awaited  his  more  immediate  friends." 
The  young  people  repaired  to  the  vineyards,  the  maidens 
arrayed  in  simple  white,  and  the  day  was  closed  with 
song  and  dancing.^ 

This  description  reminds  us  of  the  mingling  of 
elements  in  the  old  Scottish  fast-days,  closing  as  they 
did  with  a  simple  entertainment  in  the  manse. 

The  feast  of  tabernacles  continued  the  gladness  of 
the  ransomed  people.  It  began  on  the  fifteenth  day 
of  the  seventh  month,  with  a  holy  convocation  and  a 
holocaust  of  no  fewer  than  twenty-nine  animals,  in 
addition  to  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  a  he-goat  for  a  sin 
offering.  The  number  of  bullocks,  which  was  thirteen 
on  this  opening  day  of  the  feast,  was  reduced  by  one 
each  day  till  on  the  seventh  day  seven  bullocks  were 
sacrificed.  But  two  rams  and  fourteen  he-lambs  were 
offered  each  day  of  the  feast,  and  the  he-goat  for 
expiation,  besides  the  continual  burnt  offering.  The 
celebration  ended,  so  far  as  sacrifices  were  concerned, 
on  the  eighth  day  with  a  special  burnt  offering  of  one 
bullock,  one  ram,  and  seven  he-lambs,  returning  thus 
to  the  number  appointed  for  New  Moon. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  on  the  closing  day  there  was 
to  be  a  "  solemn  assembly."  It  was  *'  the  great  day  of 
the  feast"  (John  vii.  37).     The  people  who  during  the 

•  Expositor,  3rd  Series,  vol.  iv,,  p.  88. 


xxviii.,  xxix.]  OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS  359 

week  had  lived  in   the   booths  or  arbours  which  they 
had  made,  now  dismantled  them  and  went  on  pilgrimage 
to  the  sanctuary.     The  opening  of  the  festival  came  to 
be  of  a  striking  kind.     *'  One  could  see,"  says  Professor 
Franz   Delitzsch,  '^  even   before   the   dawn  of  the  first 
day  of  the  feast,  if  this  was  not  a  Sabbath,  a  joyous 
throng  pouring  forth  from  the  Jaffa  Gate  at  Jerusalem. 
The  verdure  of  the  orchards,  refreshed  with  the  first 
showers  of  the  early  rain,  is  hailed  by  the  people  with 
shouts  of  joy  as  they  scatter  on  either  side  of  the  bridge 
which  crosses  the  brook  fringed  with  tall  poplar-osiers, 
some  in  order  with  their  own  hands  to  pluck  branches 
for  the  festal  display,  others  to  look  at  the  men  who 
have  been  honoured  with  the  commission  to  fetch  from 
Kolonia  the  festal  leafy  adornment  of  the  altar.     They 
seek    out    right   long   and    goodly    branches    of    these 
poplar-osiers,  and  cut  them  off,  and  then  the  reunited 
host  returns  in  procession,  with   exultant   shouts  and 
singing  and  jesting,  to  Jerusalem,  as  far  as  the  Temple 
hill,    where    the    great    branches    of    poplar-osier    are 
received  by   the    priests    and   set    upright   around   the 
sides  of  the  altar,  so  that  they  bend  over  it  with  their 
tips.       Priestly    trumpet-clang    resounded    during    this 
decoration  of  the  altar  with  foliage,  and  they  went  on 
that  feast  day  once,  on  the  seventh  day  seven  times, 
around  the  altar  with  willow  branches,  or  the  festive 
posy    entwined    of  a    palm    branch    and    branches    of 
myrtles  and  willows,   amidst  the  usual  festive   shouts 
of  Hosanna ;  exclaiming  after  the  completed  encircling, 
'  Beauty  becomes  thee,  O  Altar  !     Beauty  becomes  thee, 
O  Altar  1 ' "     So,  in  later  times,  the  festival  began  and 
was  sustained,  each  worshipper  carrying   boughs  and 
fruit  of  the  citron  and  other  trees.     But  the  eighth  day 
brought  all  this  to  a  close.     The  huts  were  taken  down, 


36o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the  worshippers  sought  the  house  of  God  for  prayer 
and  thanksgiving.  The  reading  of  the  Law  which  had 
been  going  on  day  by  day  concluded ;  and  the  sin 
offering  fitly  ended  the  season  of  joy  with  expiation 
of  the  guilt  of  the  people  in  their  holy  things. 

The  series  of  sacrifices  appointed  for  days  and  weeks 
and  months  and  years  required  a  large  number  of 
animals  and  no  small  liberality.  They  did  not,  how- 
ever, represent  more  than  a  small  proportion  of  the 
offerings  which  were  brought  to  the  central  sanctuary. 
Besides,  there  were  those  connected  with  vows,  the 
free-will  offerings,  meal  offerings,  drink  offerings,  and 
peace  offerings  (xxix.  39).  And  taking  all  together  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  pastoral  wealth  of  the  people  was 
largely  claimed.  The  explanation  lies  partly  in  this, 
that  among  the  Israelites,  as  among  all  races,  *'  the 
things  sacrificed  were  of  the  same  kind  as  those  the 
worshippers  desired  to  obtain  from  God."  The  sin 
offering,  however,  had  quite  a  different  significance. 
In  this  the  sprinkling  of  the  warm  blood,  representing 
the  life  blood  of  the  worshipper,  carried  thought  into 
a  range  of  sacred  mystery  in  which  the  awful  claim 
of  God  on  men  was  darkly  realised.  Here  sacrifice 
became  a  sacrament  binding  the  worshippers  by  the 
most  solemn  symbol  imaginable — a  vital  symbol — to 
fidelity  in  the  service  of  Jehovah.  Their  faith  and 
devotion  expressed  in  the  sacrifice  secured  for  them 
the  Divine  grace  on  which  their  well-being  depended, 
the  blood-bought  pardon  that  redeemed  the  soul. 
Among  the  Israelites  alone  was  expiation  by  blood 
made  fully  significant  as  the  centre  of  the  whole  system 
of  worship.^ 

'  Evvald's  "Antiquities,"  p.  40. 


XXX. J  OFFERINGS  AND   VOWS  361 

2.  The  Law  of  Vows 

Numbers  xxx 

The  general  command  regarding  vows  is  that  who- 
soever binds  himself  by  one,  or  takes  an  oath  in  regard 
to  any  promise,  must  at  all  hazards  keep  his  word.  A 
man  is  allowed  to  judge  for  himself  in  vowing  and 
undertaking  by  oath,  but  he  is  to  have  the  consequences 
in  view,  and  especially  keep  in  mind  that  God  is  his 
witness.  The  matter  scarcely  admitted  of  any  other 
legislation,  and  neither  here  nor  elsewhere  is  any 
attempt  made  to  lay  penalties  on  those  who  broke  their 
vows.  To  use  the  Divine  Name  in  an  oath  which  was 
afterwards  falsified  brought  a  man  under  the  condem- 
nation of  the  third  commandment,  a  spiritual  doom. 
But  the  authorities  could  not  give  it  effect.  The  trans- 
gressor was  left  to  the  judgment  of  God. 

With  regard  to  vows  and  oaths  the  sophistry  of  the 
Jews  and  their  rabbis  led  them  so  far  astray  that  our 
Lord  had  to  lay  down  new  rules  for  the  guidance  of 
His  followers.  No  doubt  cases  arose  in  which  it  was 
exceedingly  difficult  to  decide.  One  might  vow  with 
good  intention  and  find  himself  utterly  unable  to  keep 
his  promise,  or  might  find  that  to  keep  it  would  involve 
unforeseen  injury  to  others.  But  apart  from  circum- 
stances of  this  sort  there  came  to  be  such  a  net-work 
of  half-legalised  evasions,  and  so  many  unseemly  dis- 
cussions, that  the  purpose  of  the  law  was  destroyed. 
Absolution  from  vows  was  claimed  as  a  prerogative 
by  some  rabbis  ;  against  this,  others  protested.  One 
would  say  that  if  a  man  vowed  by  Jerusalem  or  by  the 
Law  he  had  said  nothing ;  but  if  he  vowed  by  what  is 
written  in  the  Law,  his  words  stood.  The  "  wise  men  " 
declared   four    kinds    of  vows    not    binding — incentive 


3^2  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

VOWS,  as  when  a  buyer  vows  that  he  will  not  give  more 
than  a  certain  price  in  order  to  induce  the  seller  to 
take  less ;  meaningless  vows ;  thoughtless  and  com- 
pulsory vows.  In  such  ways  the  practice  was  reduced 
to  ignominy.  It  even  came  to  this,  that  if  a  man 
wished  to  neutralise  all  the  vows  he  might  make  in  the 
course  of  a  year  he  had  only  to  say  at  the  beginning  of 
it,  on  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement,  ''  Let  every 
vow  which  I  shall  make  be  of  none  effect,"  and  he  would 
be  absolved.  This  immoral  tangle  was  cut  through  by 
the  clear  judgment  of  Christ :  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it 
was  said  to  them  of  old  time.  Thou  shalt  not  forswear 
thyself,  but  shalt  perform  unto  the  Lord  thine  oaths  : 
but  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not  at  all  ;  neither  by  the 
heaven,  for  it  is  the  throne  of  God ;  nor  by  the  earth, 
for  it  is  the  footstool  of  His  feet;  nor  by  Jerusalem, 
for  it  is  the  city  of  the  great  King.  Neither  shalt  thou 
swear  by  thy  head,  for  thou  canst  not  make  one  hair 
white  or  black.  But  let  your  speech  be.  Yea,  yea; 
Nay,  nay :  and  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  is  of  the 
evil  one."  In  ordinary  conversation  and  dealings 
Christ  will  have  no  vows  and  oaths.  Let  men  promise 
and  perform,  declare  and  stand  to  their  word.  He  lifts 
even  ordinary  life  to  a  higher  plane. 

With  regard  to  women's  vows,  four  cases  are  made 
the  subject  of  enactment.  First,  there  is  the  case  of  a 
young  woman  living  in  her  father's  house,  under  his 
authority.  If  she  vow  unto  the  Lord,  and  bind  herself 
by  a  bond  in  the  hearing  of  her  father  and  he  do  not 
forbid,  her  vow  shall  stand.  It  may  involve  expense 
to  the  father,  or  put  him  and  the  family  to  inconveni- 
ence, but  by  silence  he  has  allowed  himself  to  be 
bound.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  interpose  and  forbid 
the  vow,  the  daughter  is  released.     The  second  case  is 


XXX.]  OFFERINGS  AND    VOWS  363 

that  of  a  woman  who  at  the  time  of  marriage  is  under 
a  vow;  and  this  is  decided  in  the  same  way.  Her 
betrothed  husband's  silence,  if  he  hears  the  promise, 
sanctions  it ;  his  refusal  to  allow  it  gives  discharge. 
The  third  instance  is  that  of  a  widow  or  a  divorced 
woman,  who  must  perform  all  she  has  solemnly  en- 
gaged to  do.  The  last  case  is  that  of  the  married  woman 
in  her  husband's  house,  concerning  whom  it  is  decreed  : 
''  Every  vow  and  every  binding  oath  to  afflict  the  soul, 
her  husband  may  establish  it,  or  her  husband  may 
make  it  void.  ...  If  he  shall  make  them  null  and  void 
after  he  hath  heard  them,  then  he  shall  bear  her 
iniquity." 

These  regulations  establish  the  headship  of  the 
father  and  the  husband  in  regard  to  matters  which 
belong  to  religion.  And  the  significance  of  them  lies  in 
this,  that  no  intrusion  of  the  priest  is  permitted.  If 
the  "  Priests'  Code "  had  been  intended  to  set  up  a 
hierocracy,  these  vows  would  have  given  the  oppor- 
tunity of  introducing  priestly  influence  into  family  life. 
The  provisions  appear  to  be  designed  for  the  very 
purpose  of  disallowing  this.  It  was  seen  that  in  the 
ardour  of  religious  zeal  women  were  disposed  to  make 
large  promises,  dedicating  their  means,  their  children, 
or  perhaps  their  own  lives  to  special  service  in  connec- 
tion with  the  sanctuary.  But  the  father  or  husband 
was  the  family  head  and  the  judge.  No  countenance 
whatever  is  given  to  any  official  interference. 

It  would  have  been  well  if  the  wisdom  of  this  law 
had  ruled  the  Church,  preventing  ecclesiastical  domin- 
ance in  family  affairs.  The  promises,  the  threats  of  a 
domineering  Church  have  in  many  cases  introduced 
discord  between  daughters  and  parents,  wives  and 
husbands.       The    amenability    of  women    to    religious 


364  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

motives  has  been  taken  advantage  of,  always  indeed 
with  a  plausible  reason, — the  desire  to  save  them  from 
the  world, — but  far  too  often,  really,  for  political- 
ecclesiastical  ends,  or  even  from  the  base  motive  of 
revenge.  Ecclesiastics  have  found  the  opportunity  of 
enriching  the  Church  or  themselves,  or,  under  cover 
of  confession,  have  become  aware  of  secrets  that  placed 
families  at  their  mercy.  No  practice  followed  under 
the  shield  of  religion  and  in  its  name  deserves  stronger 
reprobation.  The  Church  should,  by  every  means  in 
its  power,  purify  and  uphold  family  life.  To  undermine 
the  unity  of  famihes  by  laying  obligations  on  women, 
or  obtaining  promises  apart  from  the  knowledge  of 
those  to  whom  they  are  bound  in  the  closest  relation- 
ship, is  an  abuse  of  privilege.  And  the  whole  custom  of 
auricular  confession  comes  under  the  charge.  It  may 
occasionally  or  frequently  be  used  with  good  intention, 
and  lonely  women  without  trusted  advisers  among  their 
kindred  may  see  no  other  resource  in  times  of  peculiar 
difficulty  and  trial.  But  the  submission  that  forms 
part  of  it  is  debasing,  and  the  secrecy  gives  priesthood 
a  power  that  should  belong  to  no  body  of  men  in 
dealing  with  the  souls  of  their  fellow-creatures,  and 
fellow-sinners.  At  the  very  best,  confession  to  a 
priest  is  a  weak  expedient. 


XXIV 

JVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT 
I.  The  War  with  Midian 

Numbers  xxxi 

THE  command  to  vex  and  smite  the  Midianites 
(xxv.  1 6)  has  already  been  considered.  Israel 
had  not  the  spiritual  power  which  would  have  justified 
any  attempt  to  convert  that  people.  Degrading  idolatry 
was  to  be  held  in  abhorrence,  and  those  who  clung  to  it 
suppressed.  Now  the  time  comes  for  an  exterminating 
war.  While  hordes  of  Bedawin  occupy  the  hills  and 
the  neighbouring  desert,  there  can  be  no  security  either 
for  morals,  property,  or  life.  Balaam  is  among  them 
plotting  against  Israel ;  and  his  restless  energy,  we 
may  suppose,  precipitates  the  conflict.  Moses  conveys 
the  command  of  God  that  the  attack  on  Midian  shall  be 
immediately  made,  and  himself  directs  the  campaign. 

The  details  of  the  enterprise  are  given  somewhat 
fully.  A  thousand  fighting  men  are  called  from  each 
tribe.  The  religious  purpose  of  the  war  is  signified  by 
the  presence  in  the  host  of  Phinehas,  whose  zeal  has 
given  him  a  name  among  the  warriors.  He  is  allowed 
to  carry  with  him  the  ''  vessels  of  the  sanctuary  " ;  and 
the  silver  trumpets  are  to  be  sounded  on  the  march 
and  in  the  attack.  The  Midianitish  clan  apparently 
gives  way  at  once  before  the  Hebrews,  and  either 
makes  no  stand  or  is  totally  defeated  in  a  single  battle. 

365 


366  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

AH  the  men  are  put  to  the  sword,  including  Balaam 
and  five  chiefs,  whose  names  are  preserved.  The 
women  and  children  are  taken  ;  the  whole  of  the  cattle 
and  goods  become  the  prey  of  the  victors  ;  the  cities 
and  encampments  are  burned  with  fire.  On  the  return 
of  the  army  with  the  large  band  of  captives,  Moses  is 
greatly  displeased.  He  demands  of  the  officers  why 
the  women  have  been  spared, — the  very  women  who 
caused  the  children  of  Israel  to  trespass  against  the 
Lord.  Then  he  orders  all  above  a  certain  age,  and 
the  male  children,  to  be  put  to  death.  The  young  girls 
alone  are  to  be  kept  alive. 

The  purification  of  those  who  have  been  engaged 
in  the  war  is  next  commanded.  For  seven  days  the 
army  must  remain  outside  the  camp.  Those  who  have 
touched  any  dead  body  and  all  the  captives  are  to  be 
ceremonially  cleansed  on  the  third  and  seventh  days. 
Every  article  of  raiment,  everything  made  of  skins  and 
goats'  hair,  and  all  woollen  articles,  are  to  be  purified 
by  means  of  the  water  of  expiation.  Whatever  is  made 
of  metal  is  to  be  passed  through  the  fire. 

Details  of  the  quantity  and  division  of  the  prey,  and 
the  voluntary  oblations  made  as  an  '*  atonement  for 
their  souls  "  by  the  officers  and  soldiers  out  of  their 
booty,  occupy  the  rest  of  the  chapter.  The  numbers  of 
oxen,  sheep,  and  asses  are  great — six  hundred  and 
seventy-five  thousand  sheep,  seventy-two  thousand 
beeves,  sixty-one  thousand  asses.  No  mention  is  made 
of  horses  or  camels.  The  girls  saved  alive  are  thirty- 
two  thousand.  The  army  takes  one  half,  and  those 
v/ho  remained  in  the  camp  receive  the  other.  But  of 
the  soldiers'  portion,  one  in  five  hundred  both  of  the 
persons  and  of  the  animals  is  given  to  the  priests,  and 
of  the  people's  portion  one  in  fifty  to  the  Levites.     The 


xxxi.]  IVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  367 

jewels  of  gold,  ankle-chains,  bracelets,  signet-rings, 
earrings  and  armlets  offered  by  the  men  of  war  as  their 
"  atonement,"  not  one  of  them  having  fallen  in  the 
battle,  amount  in  weight  to  sixteen  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  shekels,  the  value  of  which  may  be 
estimated  at  some  thirty  thousand  of  our  pounds.  The 
gold  is  brought  into  the  tent  of  meeting  for  a  memorial 
before  the  Lord. 

Now  here  we  have  to  deal  with  an  accumulation  of 
statements,  every  one  of  which  raises  some  question 
or  other.  The  war  of  national  and  moral  antipathy  is 
itself  easily  understood.  But  the  slaughter  of  so  many 
in  battle  and  so  many  others  in  cold  blood,  the  statement 
that  not  a  single  Israelite  fell,  the  number  aiid  kinds  of 
the  animals  captured,  the  order  given  by  Moses  to  put 
all  the  women  to  death,  the  quantity  of  gold  taken,  of 
which  the  offering  appears  only  to  have  been  a  part — 
all  of  these  points  have  been  criticised  in  a  more  or 
less  incredulous  spirit.  In  apology  it  has  been  said, 
with  regard  to  the  slaughter  of  the  women,  that  when 
brought  as  captives  by  the  soldiers  they  could  not  be 
received  into  the  camp,  and  there  was  only  this  way 
of  dealing  with  them,  unless  indeed  they  had  been  sent 
back  to  their  ruined  encampments,  where  they  would 
have  slowly  died.  Again,  it  has  been  explained  that 
the  Midianites  were  so  debased  and  enfeebled  as  to 
have  no  power  to  withstand  the  onset  of  the  Hebrews. 
The  droves  of  oxen,  sheep,  and  asses  are  held  to  be 
not  greater  than  a  wealthy  nomadic  clan,  numbering 
perhaps  two  hundred  thousand,  would  be  likely  to 
own ;  and  the  quantity  of  gold  is  likewise  accounted 
for  by  the  well-known  fact  that  among  Orientals  the 
wealth  represented  by  precious  metals  is  fashioned  into 
ornaments  for  the  women. 


368  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

In  detail  the  difficulties  may  thus  be  partly  overcome  ; 
yet  the  whole  account  remains  so  singular,  both  in  its 
spirit  and  incidents,  that  Wellhausen  has  roundly  de- 
clared it  to  be  fictitious,  and  others  have  had  no  resource 
but  to  fall  back,  even  for  the  slaughter  of  the  women, 
on  the  Divine  command.  It  is  true  there  were  other 
peoples,  the  Moabites,  for  instance,  as  idolatrous,  and 
almost  as  degraded.  But  a  terror  of  Jehovah's  name 
had  to  be  created  for  the  moral  good  of  the  whole 
region,  and  the  Midianites,  it  is  said,  who  had  so  grossly 
assailed  the  purity  of  Israel,  were  fitly  selected  for 
Divine  chastisement.  The  opinion  that  the  whole 
account  is  an  invention  of  the  "  Priests'  Code "  may 
be  at  once  dismissed.  The  ideas  of  national  purity  that 
prevailed  after  the  exile  and  are  insisted  upon  in  the 
books  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  would  not  have  counte- 
nanced the  dedication  of  any  spared  from  the  slaughter, 
even  young  girls,  as  a  tribute  to  Jehovah.  The  attack 
and  the  issue  of  it  were,  no  doubt,  recorded  in  the 
ancient  documents  of  which  the  compilers  of  the  Book 
of  Numbers  made  use.  And  the  fact  must  be  held  to 
stand,  that  there  was  a  grim  slaughter  relentlessly 
carried  out  at  the  command  of  Moses  in  accordance 
with  the  moral  and  theocratic  ideas  that  ruled  his  mind. 

But  it  remains  doubtful  whether  the  numbers  can 
be  trusted,  even  although  they  appear  to  be  in  the 
substance  of  the  narrative.  The  disproportion  is 
enormous  between  the  twelve  thousand  Israelites  sent 
against  Midian  and  the  number  of  men  who,  if  we 
accept  the  figures  given,  must  have  fallen  without 
striking  one  effective  blow  for  their  lives.  Of  these 
there  would  have  been  some  forty  thousand  at  least. 
Assuming  that  somehow  the  numbers  are  exaggerated, 
we  find  the  story  a  good  deal  cleared.      It  was  entirely 


xxxi.]  IVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  369 

in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  age  that  a  war  a 
outrance  should  have  been  commanded  in  the  circum- 
stances.    If,  then,  an  adequate  force  of  Hebrews  marched 
against  the    Midianites    and  took   them    at    unawares, 
perhaps  by  night,  or  when  they  were  engaged  in  some 
idolatrous  orgy,   their  defeat  and  slaughter  would   be 
comparatively    easy.      The    Hebrews   with    Phinehas 
among  them  were,  we  may  believe,  filled  with  patriotic 
and    religious    ardour,    assured    that    they    were    com- 
missioned to  execute  Divine  justice  and  must  not  shrink 
from  any  work  that  lay  in  their  way,  however  dreadful. 
Does  the  thing  they  did  still  seem  incredible  ?     Perhaps 
the  recollection   of  what    took  place   after  the  Indian 
Mutiny,  when  Great  Britain  was  in  the  same  temper, 
may  throw  light  upon  the  question.     The  soldiers  then, 
bent  on  punishing  the  cruelty  and  lust  of  the  rebels, 
partly   in    patriotism,    partly    in    revenge,    set    mercy 
altogether  aside.     If  we  had  the  whole  history  of  the 
war  with  Midian,  instead  of  the  mere  outlines  preserved 
in    Numbers,  we  might  find  that,  apart  from  figures, 
the  statements  are  by  no  means  over-coloured.     Moses 
had    the  entire  responsibility  of  ordering  the  women 
to  be  put  to  death.     When  he  saw  the  train  of  female 
captives,  some  of  them  possibly  using  their  arts  of  bland- 
ishment not  without  success,  he  might  well  be  afraid 
that  the  very  end  for  which  the  war  had  been  under- 
taken was  to  be  frustrated.     He  was  a  man  who  did 
not  scruple  to  shed  blood  when  the  law  of  God  and 
the    purity    of    morals    and    religion    seemed    to    be 
endangered.    He  knew  Jehovah  to  be  gracious— gracious 
to  those  who  loved  Him  and  kept  His  commandments. 
But  was  He  not  also  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity 
of  the  fathers  upon   the  children  unto  the   third  and 
fourth  generations  of  them  that  hated  Him  ?     It  was 

24 


370  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

this  God  Moses  sought  to  serve  when  in  the  heat  of 
his  indignation,  and  not  without  reason,  he  gave  the 
terrible  order. 

The  appropriation  of  some  of  the  captive  girls  to 
the  priests  and  Levites  as  "  Jehovah's  tribute,"  the 
offering  by  the  soldiers  of  part  of  their  booty  as  an 
**  atonement  "  for  their  souls,  the  presence  of  Phinehas 
with  the  "vessels  of  the  sanctuary,"  and  the  sacred 
trumpets  in  the  ranks — these  manifestly  belong  to  the 
time  to  which  the  history  refers.  And  it  may  be  said 
in  closing  that  circumstances  might  be  well  known  to 
Moses  on  account  of  which  the  attack  had  to  be  made 
promptly  and  the  dispersion  of  the  Midianites  had  to 
be  complete.  We  cannot  tell  what  Balaam  may  have 
been  plotting ;  but  we  may  be  pretty  sure  there  was 
nothing  too  base  for  him  to  scheme  and  the  Midianites 
to  carry  into  effect.  They  knew  themselves  to  be 
under  suspicion,  perhaps  in  danger.  With  what  craft 
and  vehemence  the  Bedawin  can  act  we  are  well  aware. 
Life  even  yet  is  of  no  account  among  them.  Another 
day,  perhaps,  and  the  ark  might  have  been  carried  off 
or  Moses  put  to  death  in  his  tent.  But  the  nature  of 
the  wrong  done  to  Israel  is  a  sufficient  explanation 
of  the  war.  And  we  can  also  see  that  the  Hebrews 
themselves  had  a  lesson  in  moral  severity  when  their 
soldiers  went  forth  to  the  massacre  and  returned  red 
with  blood.  They  learned  that  the  sin  of  Midian 
was  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God  and  should  be 
abominable  in  theirs.  They  were  taught,  whether  they 
received  the  teaching  or  not,  that  they  were  to  be 
enemies  for  ever  of  those  who  practised  idolatry  so 
vile.  A  deep  gulf  was  made  between  them  and  all 
who  sympathised  with  the  worship  and  customs  of  the 
tribe  they  destroyed. 


xxxi.]  WAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  371 

And  the  whole  circumstances,  remote  as  they  are 
from  our  own  time,  may  bring  home  even  to  Chris- 
tians the  duty  of  moral  decision  and  relentless  war 
against  the  vices  and  lusts  with  which  too  many  are 
inclined  to  make  terms.  We  wrestle  not  against  flesh 
and  blood,  but  against  the  *'  wiles  of  error,"  the  *'  lusts 
of  deceit,"  against  ''  fornication,  uncleanness,  lascivi- 
ousness,  enmities,  strife,  jealousies,  wraths,  factions, 
divisions,  heresies,  envyings,  drunkenness,  revellings 
and  such  like," — the  works  of  the  flesh.  These 
Midianites  are  with  us,  would  draw  our  hearts  away 
from  religion  and  destroy  our  souls.  Not  only  are  we 
to  assail  the  grosser  forms  of  sin  and  exterminate  them, 
but  we  are  with  equal  severity  to  strike  down  the 
fair-seeming  vices  that  come  with  blandishment  and 
insidious  appeal.  This  is  our  holy  war.  The  old 
form  of  it  required  the  suppression  or  extermination  of 
those  identified  with  vice,  men  and  women,  all  in  whom 
the  impurity  was  rooted.  Young  girls  alone  could  be 
spared,  whose  character  might  still  be  shaped  by  a 
higher  morality.  Even  yet,  to  a  certain  extent,  that 
way  of  dealing  with  evil  has  to  be  followed.  We 
imprison  felons  and  put  murderers  to  death ;  but  the 
new  power  that  has  come  with  Christianity  enables 
us  to  deal  with  many  transgressors  as  capable  of 
reformation  and  a  new  life.  And  this  power  is  far 
as  yet  from  being  fully  developed. 

It  is  the  fault  of  our  age  to  be  on  one  side  too 
lenient,  on  another  wanting  in  patience,  charity,  and 
hope.  Excuses  are  found  for  sin  on  the  ground  that 
it  is  useless  to  fight  against  nature,  that  we  must  not 
be  hypocritical  nor  puritanical.  Temptations  that  come 
with  mincing  gait,  cajolery  and  smiles,  are  allowed  to 
disport  themselves  untouched.     Why,  it  is  asked,  should 


372  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

life  be  made  sombre?  A  stern  religion  that  would 
banish  gaiety  is  declared  to  be  no  friend  of  the  race. 
Under  cover  of  art— pictorial,  dramatic,  literary — the 
customs  of  Midian  are  not  only  admitted  but  allowed 
to  have  authority.  And  religion  even  is  invoked.  Are 
not  all  things  pure  to  the  pure  ?  Should  not  life  be 
as  free  and  joyous  as  the  Maker  clearly  intends  in 
giving  us  the  capacity  for  those  gratifications  to  which 
art  of  every  kind  ministers  ?  Is  not  full  freedom  indis- 
pensable to  the  highest  religion?  Ought  not  genius, 
in  every  department,  to  have  complete  liberty  in  guiding 
and  developing  the  race  ? 

Without  hypocrisy,  without  banishing  the  sunshine 
of  life  or  denying  the  freedom  which  is  necessary  to 
progress  and  vigour,  we  are  to  be  jealous  for  morality, 
severe  against  all  that  threatens  it.  And  here  our 
age  is  impatient  of  direction.  The  tendency  is  to  a 
civilisation  without  morality,  that  is,  a  new  barbarism. 
The  strenuous  mind  of  the  old  theocratic  leaders  is 
required  anew,  with  a  difference.  Life  and  thought 
have  so  far  advanced  under  Christianity  that  liberty 
is  good  in  things  which  once  had  to  be  sternly  repro- 
bated ;  but  only  the  same  guidance  will  carry  us  higher. 
To  those  who  lead  in  arts  and  literature  the  appeal 
has  to  be  made  in  the  name  of  God  and  men  to  regard 
the  fitness  of  things.  The  old  ideas  of  Puritanism  are 
not  to  be  the  standard  ?  True.  Neither  are  the  tastes 
of  Greece  nor  the  manners  of  Pompeii.  Every  artist 
must,  it  appears,  be  his  own  censor.  Let  each,  then, 
use  his  right  under  a  sense  of  responsibility  to  the 
God  who  would  have  all  to  be  pure  and  free.  There 
are  pictures  exhibited,  and  poems  sent  out  from  the 
press,  and  novels  published,  which,  for  all  the  skill  and 
charm  that  are  in  them,  ought  to  have  been  cast  into 


xxxi.]  WAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  373 

the  fire.  In  private  life,  too,  the  Midianitish  talk,  the 
jest,  the  anecdote,  the  innuendo,  all  but  indecent,  the 
hint,  the  laugh  that  breaks  down  the  barriers  of  integrity 
and  sobriety,  show  the  license  of  a  barbarism  which 
is  bent  on  conquest.  Every  Christian  is  called  to  wage 
against  these  immoralities  an  exterminating  war. 

On  the  other  hand,  charity  and  patience  are  needed. 
It  is  difficult  to  forbear  with  those  who  seem  to  find 
their  pleasure  in  what  is  evil,  more  difficult  to  continue 
the  efforts  necessary  to  win  them  to  religion,  purity, 
and  honour.  We  feel  it  a  hard  task  to  track  our  own 
unholy  desires  to  their  retreats  and  slay  them  there. 
Proteus-like  they  elude  us ;  when  we  think  they  have 
been  destroyed,  a  passing  word  or  thought  revives 
them.  And  if  in  the  task  of  our  own  purification  we 
need  long  patience,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  even  more 
should  be  required  in  the  attempt  to  set  others  free 
from  their  besetting  sins.  Much  of  our  philanthropy, 
again,  is  useless  because  we  try  to  cover  too  large 
a  field.  Few  are  engaged  in  comparison  with  the 
enormous  region  over  which  effort  has  to  extend,  and 
we  treat  the  hurt  slightly,  with  too  much  haste. 
Then  we  grow  despondent.  Impatience,  hopelessness, 
should  never  be  known  among  those  who  undertake 
the  Divine  work  of  saving  men  and  women  from  their 
sins.  But  to  cure  this,  new  ideas  on  the  whole  subject 
of  Christian  endeavour  and  new  methods  of  work  are 
required.  The  evil  forces,  a  host  arrayed  against 
true  life,  must  be  followed  into  the  desert  places  where 
they  lurk,  and  there,  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  bright  strong  word  of  God,  attacked  and 
slain.  When  Christians  are  brave  and  loving  enough, 
when  they  have  patience  enough,  the  gospel  of  purity 
will  begin  to  have  its  power. 


374  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


2.  Settlement 
Numbers  xxxii 

The  request  of  the  men  of  Reuben  and  Gad  that 
they  should  be  allowed  to  settle  on  the  eastern  side 
of  Jordan  in  the  land  of  Jazer  and  the  land  of  Gilead 
was  at  first  refused  by  Moses  with  warm  displeasure. 
They  appeared  to  wish  exemption  from  further  military 
duty,  if  indeed  they  had  not  almost  formed  the  in- 
tention of  parting  altogether  with  the  rest  of  the  tribes. 
Moses  asked  of  them,  *'  Shall  your  brethren  go  to 
the  war  and  shall  ye  sit  here  ?  And  wherefore  dis- 
courage ye  the  heart  of  the  children  of  Israel  from 
going  over  into  the  land  which  the  Lord  hath  given 
them  ? "  He  recalled  the  spies  and  the  evil  report 
they  brought,  by  which  a  former  generation  had  been 
disheartened  and  made  to  murmur  against  the  Lord. 
The  forty  years  of  wandering  had  intervened  since 
that  error — a  long  period  of  suffering  and  punishment. 
And  now  with  this  request  the  men  of  Reuben  and 
Gad  were  playing  the  same  dangerous  part.  *'  Behold, 
ye  are  risen  up  in  your  fathers'  stead,  an  increase  of 
sinful  men,  to  augment  yet  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord 
toward  Israel." 

It  is  somewhat  surprising  to  find  the  proposal  met 
in  this  way.  But  Moses  had  doubtless  good  cause 
for  his  condemnation  of  the  two  tribes.  For  some 
time,  we  can  believe,  the  notion  had  been  entertained, 
and  already  the  cattle  were  driven  northwards  and 
scattered  over  the  pastures  of  Gilead.  The  people 
felt  that  the  confraternity  which  had  survived  the  test 
of  the  wilderness  journey  was  now  about  to  break  up. 
And  as  the  two  clans  that  proposed  to  settle  in  Eastern 


xxxii.]  WAR   AND   SETTLEMENT  375 

Palestine  were  strong  and  could  send  a  large  number 
of  warriors  into  the  field,  there  was  reason  to  fear  that 
the  want  of  them  would  make  the  conquest  of  the  great 
tribes  beyond  Jordan  too  heavy  a  task. 

The  circumstances  were  of  a  kind  resembling  those 
of  a  Church  when  the  enjoyment  of  privilege  and  of  the 
gains  of  the  past  is  chosen  by  many  of  its  members, 
and  the  rest,  discouraged  by  this  moral  unbrotherliness, 
have  to  maintain  the  aggressive  work  which  ought  to 
be  shared  by  all.  The  force  of  unity  lost,  the  Christian 
energy  of  large  numbers  lying  unemployed,  the  rest 
overburdened.  Churches  often  come  far  short  of  the 
success  they  might  attain.  When  Reubenites  and 
Gadites  devote  themselves  to  building  houses,  culti- 
vating fields,  and  rearing  cattle,  neglecting  altogether 
the  command  of  God  to  conquer  the  territory  still  in 
the  hands  of  His  enemies,  the  spirit  of  religion  cannot 
but  decay.  The  selfishness  of  worldly  Christians 
reacts  on  those  who  are  not  worldly,  so  that  they  feel 
its  subtle  influence,  even  although  they  scorn  to  yield. 
And  when  there  is  some  great  task  to  be  done  which 
requires  the  personal  service  and  contributions  of 
all,  withdrawal  of  the  less  zealous  may  in  this  way 
make  victory  impossible.  True,  we  have  on  the  other 
side  the  case  of  Gideon  and  his  rejection  of  the  great 
bulk  of  his  army,  that  he  might  take  the  field  with 
a  few  who  were  brave  and  ready.  Numbers  of  half- 
hearted people  do  not  help  an  enterprise.  Still,  the 
duties  of  the  Church  of  Christ  are  so~-great  that  all  are 
required  for  them.  It  is  no  apology  to  say  that  men 
are  apathetic,  and  therefore  useless.  They  ought  to  be 
eager  for  the  Divine  war. 

It  was  not  at  all  wonderful  that  the  men  of  Reuben 
and  Gad  proposed  to  settle  on  the  east  of  Jordan.     The 


376  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

soil  of  that  region,  extending  from  the  Jabbok  Valley 
northwards,  and  including  the  whole  district  watered 
by  the  Yarmuk  and  its  tributaries,  was  exceedingly 
fertile,  with  fine  forests  of  oak,  and  stretches  of  meadow 
and  arable  land.  What  could  be  seen  of  Judaea  from 
the  heights  of  Moab  appeared  poor  and  barren  in 
comparison  with  that  green  and  fertile  country.  There 
was  abundance  of  room  there,  not  only  for  the  two 
tribes,  but  for  more ;  and  besides  the  half  of  Manasseh 
which  finally  joined  Reuben  and  Gad,  other  clans  may 
have  begun  to  think  that  they  might  rest  content  with- 
out venturing  across  Jordan.  But  Moses  had  good 
reasons  for  resisting  as  far  as  possible  this  desire. 
There  was  no  natural  boundary  on  the  east  of  Gilead 
and  Bashan.  Moab,  in  a  similar  situation,  was  exposed 
to  the  attacks  and  perhaps  corrupted  by  the  influence 
of  the  Midianites.  If  Israel  had  taken  up  its  abode  in 
this  region  which  joined  on  to  the  desert,  it  too  would 
have  become  half  a  desert  people.  The  Jordan  came, 
as  no  doubt  Moses  foresaw,  to  be  the  real  boundary  of 
the  nation  which  maintained  the  faith  of  Jehovah  and 
carried  on  His  purposes. 

In  danger  of  losing  all  because  they  had  been  too 
selfish,  the  men  of  Reuben  and  Gad  made  a  new  pro- 
posal. They  would  go  with  the  rest  to  the  conquest  of 
Canaan  ;  yea,  they  would  form  the  van  of  the  army. 
If  Moses  would  only  allow  them  to  provide  sheep-folds 
for  their  flocks  and  cities  for  their  families,  they  would 
take  the  field  and  never  think  of  returning  till  the  other 
tribes  had  all  found  settlement.  The  offer  was  one 
which  Moses  saw  fit  to  accept ;  but  with  a  caution  to 
the  Reubenites.  If  they  fulfilled  the  promise,  he  said, 
they  should  be  guiltless  before  the  Lord  ;  but  if  they 
did  not,  their  sin  would  be  written  against  them.     Fore- 


xxxii.]  IVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  377 

seeing  the  result  of  a  division  between  the  east  and 
west  which  any  such  faithless  conduct  would  certainly 
cause,  he  added  the  warning,  '*  Be  sure  your  sin  will 
find  you  out."  The  time  would  come  when,  if  they 
refused  to  do  their  part  in  helping  the  rest,  they  should 
find  themselves,  in  some  day  of  extreme  peril,  without 
the  sympathy  of  their  brethren,  the  prey  of  enemies 
who  came  from  the  east  and  north. 

Earthly  comfort  and  the  means  of  material  prosperity 
can  never  be  enjoyed  without  spiritual  disadvantage, 
or  at  least  the  risk  of  spiritual  loss.  The  whole  region 
of  ease  and  wealth  lies  towards  the  desert  in  which  the 
adversaries  of  the  soul  have  their  lurking-places,  from 
which  they  come  stealthily  or  even  boldly  in  open  day 
to  make  their  assaults.  A  man  who  has  large  means 
is  exposed  to  the  envy  of  others ;  his  life  may  be 
embittered  by  their  designs  upon  him ;  his  nature  may 
be  seriously  injured  by  the  flattery  of  those  who  have 
no  power  but  only  the  base  cunning  to  which  narrow 
self-love  may  descend.  These,  however,  are  not  the 
assailants  that  are  most  to  be  dreaded.  Rather 
should  the  man  who  is  rich  fear  the  danger  to  his 
religion  and  his  soul  which  draws  near  in  other  ways. 
The  wealthy  who  have  no  religion  court  his  friendship 
and  propose  to  him  schemes  for  increasing  his  wealth. 
Alliances  are  urged  upon  him  which  stir  and  partly 
gratify  his  ambition.  He  is  pointed  to  honours  that 
can  only  be  had  through  abandoning  the  great  ideas 
of  life  by  which  he  should  be  ruled.  He  is  served 
obsequiously,  and  is  tempted  to  think  that  the  world 
goes  very  well  because  he  enjoys  all  he  desires,  or 
is  in  the  way  to  obtain  the  fulfilment  of  his  highest 
earthly  hopes.  The  curse  of  egotism  hangs  over 
him,  and  to  escape  it   he  needs  a  double  portion   of 


378  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

the   spirit  of   humility.      Yet   iiow  is  that  to   come  to 
him  ? 

It  is  well  for  a  man  when,  before  enjoying  the  good 
things  of  this  life  in  abundance,  he  has  taken  the  field 
with  those  who  have  to  fight  a  hard  battle,  and  has 
done  his  share  of  common  work.  But  even  that  is  not 
enough  to  guard  him  against  pride  and  self-sufficiency 
for  the  whole  term  of  his  existence.  Better  is  it  when 
by  his  own  choice  the  hardness  is  retained  in  his 
experience,  when  he  never  discharges  himself  from  the 
duty  of  fighting  side  by  side  with  others,  that  he  may 
help  them  to  their  inheritance.  That  and  that  alone 
will  save  his  life.  He  is  called  as  a  soldier  of  God  to 
maintain  the  holy  war  for  human  rights,  for  the  social 
well-being  and  spiritual  good  of  mankind.  Every  rich 
man  should  be  a  friend  of  the  people,  a  reformer,  taking 
the  part  of  the  multitude  against  his  own  tendency  and 
the  tendency  of  his  class  to  exclusiveness  and  self- 
indulgence.  The  warning  given  by  Moses  to  Reuben 
and  Gad  in  accepting  their  proposals  should  linger 
with  those  who  are  rich  and  in  high  station.  If  they 
fail  to  do  their  duty  to  the  general  mass  of  their  fellow- 
men,  if  they  leave  the  rest  to  fight,  at  disadvantage,  for 
their  human  inheritance,  they  sin  against  God's  law, 
which  calls  for  brotherhood,  and  that  sin  will  surely 
find  them  out.  In  the  end  no  sin  is  more  sure  to  come 
home  in  judgment.  And  it  is  not  by  some  miserable 
gifts  to  religious  objects  or  some  patronage  of  philan- 
thropic schemes  the  prosperous  can  discharge  the  great 
debt  laid  upon  them.  In  whatever  way  the  inequalities 
of  life,  the  disabilities  of  privilege  and  wealth,  hinder 
the  realisation  of  brotherhood,  there  he  opportunity 
and  need  for  men's  personal  eff'ort.  Would  this  imply 
sacrifice  of  what  are  called  rights,  of  perhaps  no  small 


xxxii.]  IVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  379 

amount  of  substance?  That  is  precisely  the  saving 
of  a  rich  man's  hfe.  To  that  Christ  pointed  the  rich 
young  ruler  who  came  to  Plim  seeking  salvation — from 
that  the  inquirer  turned  away. 

And  how  does  the  sin  of  those  who  neglect  such 
high  duties  find  them  out  ?  Perhaps  in  the  loss  of 
the  possessions  they  have  selfishly  guarded,  and  their 
reduction  to  the  level  of  those  whom  they  kept  at 
arm's-length  and  treated  as  inferiors  or  as  enemies. 
Perhaps  in  the  harshness  of  temper  and  bitterness  of 
spirit  the  proud,  friendless  rich  man  may  find  growing 
upon  him  in  old  age,  the  horrible  feeling  that  he  has 
not  one  brother  where  he  should  have  had  thousands, 
no  one  to  care — except  selfishly — whether  he  lives  or 
dies.  To  come  to  that,  so  far  as  a  man  is  concerned 
with  his  fellow-men,  is  to  be  indeed  lost.  But  these 
retributions  may  be  artfully  escaped.  What  then  ?  Is 
not  One  to  be  reckoned  with  who  is  the  Guardian  of 
the  human  family  and  gives  men  power  and  wealth 
only  as  His  stewards,  to  be  used  in  His  service  ? 
The  future  life  does  not  obhterate  society,  but  it  de- 
stroys the  class  separations,  the  factitious  distinctions, 
that  exist  now.  It  brings  a  man  face  to  face  with  the 
fact  that  he  is  but  a  man,  like  others,  responsible  to 
God.  Is  not  the  result  indicated  by  our  Lord  when 
He  says  to  exclusive  Pharisaical  men,  ''  They  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  from  the  north  and 
south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom — ye  yourselves 
cast  forth  without "  ?  Brotherhood  here,  not  in  name, 
but  in  deed  and  truth,  means  brotherhood  above. 
Denial  of  it  here  means  unfitness  for  the  society  of 
heaven. 

We  learn  from  ver.  19  that  the  Reubenites  and 
Gadites  confidently  affirmed,  even  when  they  made  their 


38o  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

request  to  Moses,  that  their  inheritance  had  fallen  to 
them  on  the  east  side  of  Jordan.  It  may  be  asked 
how  they  knew,  since  the  division  was  not  yet  made. 
And  the  Answer  appears  to  be  that  they  had  made  up 
their  minds  on  the  subject.  Without  waiting  for  the 
lot,  they  seem  to  have  said.  This  is  nobody's  land  now 
that  the  Amorites  and  Midianites  are  dispossessed. 
We  will  have  it.  And  there  was  no  sufficient  reason 
for  refusing  them  their  choice  when  they  accepted  the 
conditions.  At  the  same  time,  these  tribes  did  not 
act  fairly  and  honourably.  And  the  result  was  that, 
although  they  gained  the  fat  land  and  the  good  pastures, 
they  lost  the  close  fellowship  with  the  other  tribes 
which  was  of  greater  value.  Reuben,  the  premier 
tribe,  could  no  longer  keep  its  position.  It  was  by- 
and-by  succeeded  by  Judah.  Neither  Reuben  nor  Gad 
made  any  great  figure  in  the  subsequent  history.  The 
half-tribe  of  Manasseh,  which  was  settled,  not  on  its 
own  request,  but  by  authority,  in  the  northern  part  of 
Gilead  towards  the  Argob,  had  greater  distinction. 
Gad  has  some  notice.  We  read  of  eleven  valiant  men 
of  this  tribe  who  swam  the  Jordan  at  its  highest  to  join 
David  in  his  trouble.  **  But  no  person,  no  incident  is 
recorded  to  place  Reuben  before  us  in  any  distincter 
form  than  as  a  member  of  the  community  (if  com- 
munity it  can  be  called)  of  the  Reubenites,  the  Gadites, 
and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh.  The  very  towns  of 
his  inheritance — Heshbon,  Aroer,  Kiriathaim,  Dibon, 
Baal-meon,  Sibmah,  Jazer — are  familiar  to  us  as  Moabite, 
not  as  Israelite,  towns."  The  Reubenites,  in  fact,  under 
the  influence  of  their  wild  neighbours,  gradually  lost 
touch  with  their  brethren  and  fell  away  from  the  religion 
of  Jehovah. 

It  is  a  parable  of  the  degeneration  of  hfe. — Earthl^^ 


xxxii.J  PVAR  AND  SETTLEMENT  381 

choice  rules  and  heavenly  faith  is  hazarded  for  the  sake 
of  a  temporal  advantage.  Men  have  their  will  because 
they  insist  upon  it.  They  do  not  consult  the  prophet, 
but  make  terms  with  him,  that  they  may  gain  their  end. 
But  as  they  place  themselves,  so  they  have  to  live,  not 
on  the  soil  of  the  promised  land,  no  integral  part  of 
Israel. 


XXV 

THE   WAY  AND   THE  LOT 
Numbers  xxxiii.,  xxxiv 

I.  '  I  ^HE  itinerary  of  xxxiii.  1-49  is  one  of  the 
X  passages  definitely  ascribed  to  Moses.  It 
opens  with  the  departure  from  Rameses  in  Egypt  on 
the  morrow  after  the  passover,  when  the  children  of 
Israel  "  went  out  with  an  high  hand  in  the  sight  of  all 
the  Egyptians."  The  exodus  is  made  singularly  im- 
pressive in  this  narrative  by  the  addition  that  it  took 
place  "while  the  Egyptians  were  burying  all  their 
firstborn,  which  the  Lord  had  smitten  among  them." 
The  Divine  salvation  of  Israel  begins  when  the  dark 
shadow  of  loss  and  judgment  rests  on  their  oppressors. 
The  gods  of  Egypt  are  discredited  by  the  triumph  of 
Jehovah's  people.  They  can  neither  save  their  own 
worshippers  nor  prevent  the  servants  of  another  from 
obtaining  liberty. 

From  Rameses,  the  place  of  departure,  to  Abel- 
shittim,  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  forty-two  stations  in  all 
are  given  at  which  the  Israelites  pitched.  Of  these 
about  twenty-four  are  named  either  in  Exodus,  in  other 
parts  of  the  Book  of  Numbers,  or  in  Deuteronomy. 
Some  eighteen,  therefore,  are  mentioned  in  this  passage 
and  nowhere  else.  Of  the  whole  number,  comparatively 
few  have  as  yet  been  identified.     The  Egyptian  loca!- 

382 


xxxiii.,  xxxiv.]        THE    WAY  AND    THE  LOT  383 

ities,  at  least  Rameses  and  Succoth,  are  known. 
With  the  exit  from  Egypt,  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Red  Sea  difficulty  begins.  Our  passage  says  that  the 
Israelites  went  three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness 
of  Etham  ;  Exodus  calls  it  the  wilderness  of  Shur. 
Then  Marah  and  Elim  bring  the  travellers,  according 
to  chap,  xxxiii.,  to  the  Red  Sea,  the  Yam  Suph. 
Ordinarily,  this  is  supposed  to  be  the  Gulf  of  Suez, 
alongside  which  the  route  would  have  lain  from  the 
day  it  was  crossed.  There  are,  however,  the  best 
reasons  for  believing  that  this  ^'  Red  Sea  "  is  the  eastern 
gulf,  the,Elanitic,  as  it  must  be  in  xiv.  25,  where,  after 
the  evil  report  of  the  spies,  the  Divine  command  is 
given :  "  To-morrow  turn  ye,  and  get  you  into  the 
wilderness  by  the  way  to  the  Red  Sea."  From  this 
identification  of  the  Yam  Suph  many  things  follow. 
And  one  is  the  rejection  of  the  ordinary  opinion  regard- 
ing the  position  of  Sinai.  The  mountain  of  the  lav/- 
giving  is  always  described  as  situated  in  Midian.  Now, 
Midian  is  beyond  Elath,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Yam  Suph,  not  in  the  peninsula  between  the  Gulfs  of 
Suez  and  Akabah.  Elim  and  Elath,  or  Eloth,  appear 
to  be  names  for  the  same  place,  at  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  of  Akabah.  We  have  therefore  to  look  for 
Sinai  either  among  the  southern  hills  of  Seir  or  those 
lying  more  southward  still,  towards  the  desert.  In 
Deborah's  song  (Judg.  v.  4,  5)  occur  the  following 
verses : — 

"  Lord,  when  Thou  wcntest  out  of  Seir, 
When  Thou  marchedst  out  of  the  field  of  Edom, 
The  earth  trembled,  the  heavens  also  dropped. 
Yea,  the  clouds  dropped  water ; 

The  mountains  flowed  down  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
Even   yon   Sinai   at   the   presence   of  the   Lord,   the  God   of 
Israel." 


384  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

In  the  same  direction  the  "  Prayer  of  Habbakuk " 
points  (iii.   3,  7)  : 

"God  came  from  Teman, 
And  the  Holy  One  from  Mount  Paran. 
His  glory  covered  the  heavens, 
And  the  earth  was  full  of  His  light.  .  .  . 
I  saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  in  affliction, 
The  curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  did  tremble." 

The  tradition  which  places  Sinai  in  the  south  of  the 
peninsula  between  the  two  gulfs  "  is  of  later  origin 
than  the  lifetime  of  St.  Paul,  and  can  claim  no  higher 
authority  than  the  interested  fancies  of  ignorant  coeno- 
bites. It  throws  into  confusion  both  the  geography 
and  the  history  of  the  Pentateuch,  and  contradicts  the 
definite  statements  of  the  Old  Testament."  So  the 
most  recent  inquiry. 

If  Mount  Sinai  was  somewhere  to  the  south  of  Edom, 
the  journey  thence  to  Kadesh  by  way  of  Kibroth- 
hattaavah  and  Hazeroth,  localities  mentioned  both  in 
Numb.  xi.  and  xxxiii.,  may  have  had  other  stations; 
and  these  may  be  named  in  ver.  19  of  our  passage 
and  onward.  But  identification  of  the  places  is  ex- 
ceedingly doubtful  till  we  come  to  Ezion-geber,  in  the 
Arabah,  and  Mount  Hon  Deut.  x.  places  the  scene 
of  Aaron's  death  at  Mosera,  which  seems  to  be  the 
same  as  Moseroth,  and  is  there  given  along  with  other 
stations  named  in  the  itinerary — Bene-jaakan,  Gudgodah 
(=  Hor-haggidgad),  Jotbathah.  And  this  seems  to 
prove  that  these  localities  were  in  or  near  the  Arabah, 
Moseroth  being  in  the  region  of  Mount  Hor.  But 
where  Kadesh  is  to  be  found  between  Rithmah  and 
Moseroth,  and  under  what  name,  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  Keil  argues  for  Rithmah  itself.  Palmer  reckons 
twenty  stations  to  the  first    arrival    at  Kadesh.     His 


xxxlii., xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND   THE  LOT  385 

map,  however,  shows  a  Mount  Sheraif,  which  may  be 
the  same  as  Shepher,  not  far  from  Gadis,  which  he 
identifies  with  Kadesh.  For  the  rest  we  are  left  in 
great  ignorance,  reUeved  only  by  this,  that  at  the  most 
there  are  but  eighteen  stations  given,  more  probably 
thirteen,  for  the  whole  thirty-seven  years  between  the 
first  arrival  at  Kadesh  and  the  death  of  Aaron  at 
Mount  Hor;  and  five  or  six  of  these  were  on  the 
Arabah.  During  the  whole  of  that  long  period  there 
were  only  a  few  removals  of  the  tabernacle,  and  those 
apparently  within  a  limited  area  near  Kadesh. 

A   list    of  names    with    only  three   historical    notes 
appears  a  singular  memorial  of  the  forty  years.     Time 
was,  no  doubt,  when  the  places  named  were  all  well 
knov/n,  and  any  Israehte  desiring  to  satisfy  himself  as 
to  the  route  by  which  his  forefathers  went  could  make 
it  out  by  help  of  this  passage.     To  us  the  interest  of 
the  subject  is  partly  the  same  as  that  which  might  have 
been  found  by  a  Hebrew,  say,  of  the  time  of  Hezekiah, 
for  whom    the  verification  of  the   wilderness  journey 
might   be    a  help  to  faith.     But    the    impossibility  of 
identifying  the  localities  shov/s  that  there  are  matters 
in    the   history  of  Israel  which  are  of  no  particular 
importance  now.     There  is  more  danger  in  seeking  to 
gratify    mere    curiosity,    than    profit    in    any    possible 
discoveries.     Why    should    not    the    mountain    of    the 
law-giving  be  hid  in  the  shadows  as  well  as  the  grave 
in  which  Moses  was  laid  ?     Why  should  not  the  places 
at  which  Israel  encamped  be  to  us  mere  names,  since, 
if  we  could  identify  them,  it  might  only  be  to  add  fresh 
difficulties  instead  of  clearing  away  those  that  exist  ? 
The  Israelites  who  entered  Canaan  had  not  seen  all 
the  way  by  which   Jehovah  led   His  people.     When 
they  crossed  the  Jordan,  present  duty  was  to  engage 

25 


386  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

them,  not  the  mere  names  that  belonged  to  the  past. 
They  were  to  forget  the  things  behind,  and  stretch 
forward  to  the  things  which  were  before.  And  duty 
is  the  same  still.  Our  backward  glance,  especially  on 
the  actual  path  from  one  spot  of  earth  to  another  by 
which  men  have  gone  in  trial  and  anticipation,  must 
not  hinder  the  efforts  called  for  by  the  circumstances 
of  our  own  time.  The  way  of  the  desert,  especially, 
may  well  lie  half  obliterated  in  the  distance,  since  we 
know  the  spiritual  fruit  of  the  dealings  of  God  with  Israel, 
and  can  bear  it  with  us  as  we  follow  our  own  road. 

The  ideas  of  change  and  urgency  are  in  our  passage. 
The  wilderness  journey  was  taken  by  a  people  on 
whom  Divine  influences  had  laid  hold,  who  of  them- 
selves would  have  remained  content  in  Egypt,  but  were 
not  suffered,  because  God  had  some  greater  thing  in 
store  for  them.  The  urgency  throughout  was  His. 
And  so  is  that  which  we  ourselves  feel  hurrying  us 
from  change  to  change,  from  place  to  place.  We  may 
not  be  in  the  wilderness,  but  in  a  spot  of  shelter  and 
comfort ;  and  it  may  be  no  house  of  bondage,  but  a 
vantage-ground  for  generous  effort.  Even  when  we 
are  thus  happily  settled,  as  we  imagine,  the  call  comes, 
and  we  must  strike  our  tents.  At  other  times  our  own 
anxiety  anticipates  the  command.  But  we  know  that 
always,  whether  we  pass  into  sterner  conditions  of  life  or 
escape  to  more  pleasant  circumstances,  the  times  and 
changes  that  happen  to  us  are  of  God's  appointing,  that 
His  providence  urges  us  toward  a  goal.  And  this 
means  that  our  reaching  the  goal  must  be  by  His  way, 
although  properly  we  endeavour  to  find  it  for  ourselves. 

The  number  of  the  stations  at  which  Israel  encamped 
in  the  course  of  forty  years  can  scarcely  be  taken  as 
representing  the  number  of  changes  from  dwelling  to 


xxxiii.,  xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND   THE  LOT  387 

dwelling  any  pilgrim  through  this  world  shall  have 
to  make.  But  if  we  think  of  halting-places  and  move- 
ments of  thought,  we  shall  have  a  fruitful  parallel.  From 
the  twentieth  to  the  sixtieth  year — may  we  not  say  ? — 
is  the  time  of  journeying  that  takes  the  mind  from  its 
first  freedom  to  comparative  rest.  Not  far  on  the 
Divine  law-giving  impresses  itself  on  the  conscience ; 
and  hence  a  direct  road  may  appear  to  lead  into  the 
peace  of  obedience.  But  the  stations  successively 
reached,  Kibroth-hattaavah,  Hazeroth,  Rithmah,  and 
the  rest,  represent  each  a  peculiar  difficulty  encountered, 
a  barrier  to  our  steady  progress  towards  the  settled 
mind.  St.  Paul  indicates  one  he  found  when  he 
says :  '*  I  had  not  known  coveting,  except  the  law 
had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  covet."  Another  halt  is 
imposed  when  it  is  found  that  the  law  appears  to 
forbid  what  is  according  to  nature  ;  still  another  when 
obedience  requires  separation  from  those  who  have 
been  valued  friends  and  pleasant  companions.  These 
hindrances  left  behind  as  the  soul,  still  confiding  and 
hopeful,  is  urged  on  towards  the  goal,  a  great  trial  like 
that  of  Kadesh  follows.  We  are  not  far  from  the 
frontier  of  promise;  and  anticipations  are  formed  of 
many  delights  for  heart  and  life.  Is  not  obedience  to 
bring  felicity,  an  easy  salvation  from  doubt  and  fear  ? 
But  it  becomes  plain  that  there  are  enemies  to  faith 
and  peace  beyond  the  border  as  well  as  in  the  region 
already  crossed.  Complete  conformity  to  the  Divine 
will  has  not  been  achieved.  Will  it  ever  be  achieved  ? 
We  begin  to  doubt  the  result  of  law-keeping.  There 
is  perhaps  a  backward  look  to  Sinai,  implying  a  question 
whether  God  spoke  there,  or  beyond  Sinai,  to  the  old 
traditional  way  of  life.  And  so  another  term  of  difficult 
inquiry  begins. 


388  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

In  this  way  many  find  themselves  held  for  a  long 
period  of  middle  life.  Their  minds  move  from  one 
point  to  another  without  seeming  to  make  any  progress. 
But  neither  does  rest  come.  It  is  seen  that  partial 
obedience,  a  measure  of  nearness  to  the  perfection 
once  dreamed  of,  will  not  suffice.  Then  arises  the 
question  whether  obedience  can  ever  save.  There  is 
return  almost  to  Sinai  itself,  at  least  to  a  place  from 
which  its  peak  is  seen  and  the  mind  is  confirmed  as 
to  the  inexorability  of  law.  So  the  urgency  of  the 
Divine  will  is  felt,  and  the  way  is  fixed.  If  the  soul 
would  make  its  own  way  into  peace,  it  is  driven 
back.  For,  perhaps,  it  would  have  the  difficulty 
solved  by  taking  the  way  of  a  Church,  accepting  a 
creed — as  Israel  would  have  passed  through  the 
territory  of  Edom.  This  also  is  forbidden.  Trusted 
helpers  fall  by  the  way,  as  Aaron  died  at  Hor,  and 
there  is  sorrowful  delay.  But  movement  is  enforced  ; 
and,  finally,  it  is  by  a  road  that  reveals  Sinai  and  the 
law  in  quite  another  aspect,  showing  vital  faith,  not 
mere  obedience,  to  be  the  means  of  salvation,  our 
progress  is  made.  Round  the  borders  of  Edom,  not 
by  trust  in  creed  or  Church,  but  by  confidence  in  God 
Himself,  the  soul  must  advance.  Then  strength  comes. 
Point  after  point  is  reached  and  passed.  Self- 
righteousness,  pride,  and  Pharisaism — Amorites  of 
the  mountain  land — are  overcome.  At  length  through 
the  faith  of  Christ  peace  is  found,  the  peace  that  is 
possible  on  this  side  the  river. 

It  is  our  high  privilege  to  be  urged  and  led  on  thus 
by  Him  who  knows  the  way  we  should  take,  who  tries 
us  that  we  may  come  forth  purified  as  gold.  Without 
Divine  pressure  we  should  content  ourselves  in  the 
desert  and  never  see  the  real  good  of  life.     So  many 


xxxiii., xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND    THE  LOT  389 


lose  themselves  because  they  will  not  admit  that  to  be 
of  the  truth  is  necessary  to  salvation.  There  is  a  way 
of  thinking,  or  rather  refusing  to  think,  of  spiritual 
verities  which  keeps  the  soul  unaware  of  the  purpose 
God  would  carry  into  effect,  or  indifferent  to  it.  The 
mind  refuses  its  duty;  and  in  the  midway  of  life  the 
spiritual  goal  fades  from  view.  To  guard  against  this 
taking  place  in  the  case  of  any  one  is  the  office  of  the 
Gospel  ministry.  If  evangelical  preaching  does  not 
keep  thought  awake  and  attentive  to  Divine  inspira- 
tions, if  it  does  not  speak  to  those  who  are  in  every 
stage  of  perplexity,  at  every  possible  camping-ground, 
it  fails  of  its  high  purpose. 

2.  Commandment  is  given  that  when  the  Israelites 
pass  over  Jordan  they  shall  use  effectual  means  for 
establishing  themselves  as  the  people  of  Jehovah  in 
Canaan.  They  are,  for  one  thing,  to  drive  out  before 
them  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land.  Nothing  is  here 
said  of  putting  them  all  to  the  sword ;  only  they  are 
not  to  be  left  even  in  partial  occupation.  The  plan  of 
Israel's  settlement  in  its  new  territory  requires  that  it 
shall  be  subject  to  no  alien  influence,  and  shall  have  the 
field  entirely  to  itself  for  the  development  of  customs, 
civilisation,  and  religion.  And  in  this  there  is  nothing 
either  impossible  or,  as  the  ideas  of  the  time  went, 
strange  and  cruel.  We  do  not  need  to  take  refuge  in  the 
command  of  God  and  defend  it  by  saying  that  He  had 
absolute  right  over  the  lives  of  the  Canaanites.  The 
tides  of  war  and  population  were  continually  flowing 
and  receding.  When  the  Israelites  reached  Canaan, 
they  had  the  same  right  as  others  to  occupy  it,  provided 
they  could  make  their  right  good  at  the  point  of  the 
sword.     Yet  for  their  own  special  consciousness  the 


390  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

command  given  by  Moses  in  Jehovah's  name  was  most 
important.  It  was  only  as  His  people  they  were  to 
advance,  and  as  His  people  they  were  to  dwell  separate 
in  Canaan. 

To  drive  out  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  was, 
however,  a  difficult  task  ;  and  even  Moses  might  not 
intend  the  order  to  be  literally  obeyed.  We  have  seen 
that  he  did  not  require  the  destruction  of  the  Midianites 
to  be  absolute.  In  the  wars  of  conquest  in  Canaan 
cases  of  a  similar  kind  would  necessarily  arise.  When 
a  tribe  was  driven  out  of  its  cities  many  would  be  left 
behind,  some  of  whom  would  conceal  themselves  and 
gradually  venture  from  their  hiding-places.  The  com- 
mand was  general,  and  could  scarcely  be  supposed  to 
require  the  putting  to  death  of  all  children.  And  again, 
as  we  know,  there  were  fortresses  which  for  a  long 
time  defied  attempts  to  reduce  them.  The  Israelites 
were  not  so  faithful  to  God  that  Moses  could  expect 
their  success  to  be  insured  by  supernatural  aid.  It  is 
the  constant  purpose  they  are  to  have  in  view,  to  sweep 
the  land  clear  of  those  presently  in  occupation.  As 
they  establish  themselves,  this  will  be  carried  out ;  and 
if  they  fail,  allowing  any  of  the  tribes  to  remain,  these 
will  be  as  pricks  in  their  eyes  and  as  thorns  in  their 
sides. 

The  will  of  God  that  Israel,  called  to  special  duty  in 
the  world,  was  to  keep  itself  separate,  is  here  strongly 
emphasised.  It  was  the  only  way  by  which  faith  could 
be  preserved  and  made  fruitful.  For  the  Canaanites, 
already  civilised  and  in  many  of  the  arts  superior  to 
the  Hebrews,  had  gross  polytheistic  beliefs  imbedded 
in  their  customs,  and  a  somewhat  elaborate  cultus  which 
was  observed  throughout  the  whole  land.  *'  Figured 
stones,"   which    by   their   shape    or   incised   emblems 


xxxiii., xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND   THE  LOT  391 

conveyed  religious  ideas  ;  molten  images,  probably  of 
bronze,  like  those  found  at  Tel  el  Hesy,  which  were  for 
household  use,  or  of  a  larger  size  for  tribal  adoration ; 
"  high  places  "  crowned  by  altars  and  sacrificial  stones, 
were  specially  to  be  destroyed.  The  tendency  to  poly- 
theism required  to  be  carefully  guarded  against,  for  the 
gods  of  Canaan  represented  the  powers  of  nature,  and 
their  rites  celebrated  the  fruitfulness  of  earth  under 
the  lordship  of  Baal  or  Bel,  and  the  mysterious  processes 
of  life  associated  with  the  influence  of  Astarte,  the  moon. 
The  divinities  of  Egypt  also  appear  to  have  had  their 
worshippers  ;  and,  indeed,  the  mixed  population  of  the 
land  had  drawn  from  every  neighbouring  region  symbols, 
rites,'  and  practices  supposed  to  propitiate  the  unseen 
powers  on  whose  favour  human  life  must  depend. 
Israel  could  prosper  only  by  rejecting  and  extirpating 
this  idolatry.  Allowed  to  survive  in  any  degree,  it 
would  be  the  cause  of  physical  suffering  and  spiritual 
decay. 

The  command  thus  ascribed  to  Moses  was  again 
one  which  he  must  have  known  the  Israelites  would 
find  difficult  to  carry  out,  even  if  they  were  cordially 
disposed  to  obey  it.  The  sacred  places  of  a  country 
like  Canaan  tend  to  retain  their  reputation  even  when 
the  rites  fall  into  disuse  ;  and  however  expeditiously 
the  work  of  sweeping  away  the  original  inhabitants 
might  be  done,  there  was  no  small  danger  that 
knowledge  of  the  cult  as  well  as  veneration  for  the 
high  places  would  be  learned  by  the  Hebrews.  The 
command  was  made  clear  and  uncompromising  so  that 
every  Israelite  might  know  his  duty  ;  but  the  difficulty 
and  the  peril  remained.  And  as  we  know  from  the 
Book  of  Judges  and  subsequent  history,  the  law, 
especially  in  regard  to  the  demolition  of  high  places, 


392  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

became  practically  a  dead  letter.  Jehovah  was  wor- 
shipped at  the  ancient  places  of  sacrifice ;  and  so  far 
were  even  pious  Israelites  of  the  next  few  centuries 
from  thinking  they  did  wrong  in  using  those  old  altars, 
that  Samuel  fell  in  with  the  custom.  It  was  true  in 
regard  to  this  commandment  as  it  is  with  regard  to 
many  others, — the  high  mark  of  duty  is  presented,  but 
few  aim  at  it.  Expediency  rules,  the  possible  is  made 
to  suffice  instead  of  the  ideal.  There  is  reason  to 
believe,  not  only  that  the  images  and  stone  symbols  of 
Canaan  were  venerated,  but  that  Jehovah  Himself  was 
worshipped  by  many  of  the  Hebrews  under  the  form  of 
some  animal.  And  the  Canaanites  became  to  those  who 
fraternised  with  them  as  pricks  in  their  eyes.  Spiritual 
vision  failed  ;  faith  fell  back  on  the  coarse  emblems 
used  by  the  old  inhabitants  of  the  land.  Then  the 
vigour  of  the  tribes  decayed  and  they  were  judged  and 
punished. 

3.  The  boundaries  of  the  land  in  which  the  Israelites 
were  to  dwell  are  laid  down  in  ch.  xxxiv. ;  but,  as 
elsewhere,  there  is  difficulty  in  following  the  geography 
and  identifying  the  old  names.  The  south  quarter  is 
to  be  ^'  from  the  wilderness  of  Zin  along  by  the  side 
of  Edom  " — that  is  to  say,  it  is  to  include  the  region 
of  Zin  near  Kadesh  and  extend  to  the  mountains  of 
Seir.  The  ''ascent  of  Akrabbim "  is  apparently  the 
Ghor  rising  southwards  from  the  Dead  Sea.  The  line 
then  runs  along  the  Arabah  for  some  distance,  say  fifty 
miles,  across  by  the  south  of  the  Azazimeh  hills  and 
of  Kadesh  Barnea  towards  the  stream  called  the  river 
or  brook  of  Egypt,  which  it  followed  to  its  debouchment 
in  the  Mediterranean.  The  western  boundary  was  the 
Mediterranean  or  Great  Sea  for  a  distance  of  perhaps 


xxxiii,, xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND   THE  LOT  393 


one  hundred  and  sixty  miles.  The  northern  boundary 
is  exceedingly  obscure.  They  were  to  keep  in  view  a 
"  mount  Hor  "  as  a  landmark  ;  but  no  two  geographers 
can  be  said  to  agree  where  it  was.  The  *'  entering  in 
of  Hamath  "  is  also  a  locality  greatly  disputed.  Most 
likely  it  was  some  well-known  part  of  the  road  leading 
along  the  Leontes  valley  to  that  of  the  Orontes.  If  we 
take  the  mount  Hor  here  indicated  to  be  Hermon, 
a  line  running  west  and  striking  the  Mediterranean 
somewhere  north  of  Tyre  would  be  a  natural  boundary, 
and  would  correspond  fairly  with  the  actual  partition 
and  occupation  of  the  country.  It  is  certain,  however, 
that  both  the  Philistines  and  Phoenicians,  especially  the 
latter,  were  so  strongly  established  in  the  southern 
and  northern  parts  of  the  seaboard  that  any  attempt 
to  dispossess  them  was  soon  discovered  to  be  futile. 
And  even  in  the  limited  central  range  from  Kedesh 
Naphtali  to  Beersheba  the  settlement  was  only  effected 
gradually. 

The  Canaan  of  the  Divine  promise  marked  out,  yet 
never  fully  possessed,  is  a  symbol  of  the  region 
of  this  life  which  those  who  believe  in  God  have 
assigned  to  them,  but  never  entirely  enjoy.  There  are 
boundaries  within  which  there  is  abundant  room  for 
the  development  of  the  life  of  faith.  It  is  not,  as  the 
world  reckons,  a  district  of  great  resources.  As  Canaan 
had  neither  gold  nor  silver,  neither  coal  nor  iron  mines, 
as  its  seaboard  was  not  well  supplied  with  harbours, 
nor  its  rivers  and  lakes  of  great  use  for  inland  navi- 
gation, so  we  may  say  the  life  open  to  the  Christian 
has  its  limitations  and  disabilities.  It  does  not  invite 
those  who  seek  pleasure,  wealth,  or  dazzling  exploits. 
Within  it,  discipline  is  to  be  found  rather  than  enjoy- 
ment of  earthly  good.     The  ''  milk  and  honey  "  of  this 


394  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

land  are  spiritual  symbols,  Divine  sacraments.  There 
is  room  for  the  development  of  life  in  every  branch  of 
study  and  culture,  but  in  subordination  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  that  should  be  borne  to 
His  majesty  and  truth. 

Many  of  us  affect  to  despise  so  narrow  a  range  of 
thought  and  endeavour,  and  persist  in  beheving  that 
something  more  than  discipline  may  be  looked  for  in 
this  world.  Is  there  not  a  proper  kingdom  of  humanity 
better  than  any  kingdom  of  God  ?  May  not  the  race 
of  men,  apart  from  any  service  paid  to  an  Unseen 
God,  attain  dignity  of  its  own,  power,  gladness,  mag- 
nificence? It  is  supposed  that  by  rejecting  all  the 
limitations  of  religion  and  refusing  the  outlook  to 
another  life  the  united  labour  of  men  will  make  this 
life  free  and  this  earth  a  paradise.  But  it  remains 
true  that  men  must  limit  their  hopes  with  regard  to 
their  own  future  here  as  individuals  and  the  future  of 
the  race.  We  must  accept  the  boundaries  God  has 
fixed,  on  one  side  the  swift  Jordan,  on  the  other 
the  Great  Sea.  There  are  seemingly  rich  fields  beyond, 
wide  regions  that  invite  the  tastes  and  senses,  but 
these  are  no  part  of  the  soul's  inheritance ;  to  explore 
and  reduce  them  would  bring  no  real  gain. 

The  range  that  Ues  open  to  us  as  servants  of  God, 
and  affords  ample  space  for  the  discipline  of  life,  is 
often  not  used  and  therefore  not  enjoyed.  When 
people  will  not  accept  the  inevitable  fixed  limits  within 
which  their  time  and  vigour  can  be  occupied  to  the 
best  advantage,  when  they  look  covetously  to  districts 
of  experience  not  meant  for  them,  as  Israel  did  at  certain 
periods  of  her  history,  their  life  is  spoiled.  Discontent 
begins,  envy  follows.  Where  in  seeking  and  reaching 
moral  gains,  purity,  courage,   love,  there  would  have 


xxxiii., xxxiv.]        THE   WAY  AND    THE  LOT  395 

been  a  continual  sense  of  adequate  result  and  en- 
couraging prospect,  there  is  now  no  gain,  no  pleasure. 
The  appointed  lot  is  despised,  and  all  it  can  yield  held 
in  contempt.  How  many  there  are  who,  with  a  full 
river  of  Divine  bounty  on  one  side  their  life,  and  the 
great  ocean  of  the  Divine  faithfulness  ebbing  and  flow- 
ing on  the  other,  with  the  pastures  and  olive-groves 
of  the  Word  of  God  to  nourish  their  soul,  with  access 
to  His  city  and  sanctuary,  and  an  outlook  from  summits 
like  Tabor  and  Hermon  to  a  transfigured  life  in  the 
new  heavens  and  earth,  speak  nevertheless  with  scorn 
and  bitterness  of  their  heritage  I  They  might  be 
reaching  "  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness 
of  Christ,"  but  they  remain  graceless  and  discontented 
to  the  end.  Israel,  understanding  its  destiny  and 
using  its  opportunities  aright,  might  well  say — and  so 
may  every  one  who  knows  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus 
Christ — ''  the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places  ; 
yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage."  But  this  gladness  ot 
heart  has  its  root  in  believing  content.  The  restricted 
land  is  full  of  God's  promise  :  ''  Thou  maintainest  my 
lot."  The  security  of  Jehovah's  word  encompasses 
the  man  of  faith. 


XXVI 

THE  CITIES  OF  REFUGE 
Numbers  xxxv.,  xxxvi 

I.  'T^HE  INHERITANCE  OF  THE  Levites.  The  Order 
X  relating  to  the  Levitical  cities  may  be  said 
to  describe  an  ideal  settlement.  We  have,  at  all  events, 
no  evidence  that  the  command  was  ever  fully  carried 
out.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  in  forty-eight  cities, 
scattered  throughout  the  whole  of  the  tribes  in  pro- 
portion to  their  population,  dwellings  were  to  be  allotted 
to  the  Levites,  who  were  also  to  have  the  suburbs 
of  those  cities  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  fields  lying  imme- 
diately about  them,  "  for  their  cattle,  and  for  their 
substance,  and  for  all  their  beasts."  It  is  assumed 
that  closely  surrounding  each  of  the  cities  there  shall 
be  pasturage,  and  that  a  regular  or  fairly  regular 
boundary  can  be  made  at  the  distance  of  one  thousand 
cubits  from  the  city.  Singularly,  nothing  whatever 
is  said  as  to  the  duties  of  the  Levites  thus  distributed 
throughout  the  land  on  both  sides  Jordan,  from  Kedesh 
NaphtaH  in  the  north,  to  Debir  in  the  south,  according 
to  Josh.  xxi.  It  is  not  said  that  they  were  to  perform 
any  ecclesiastical  functions  or  instruct  the  people  in 
the  Divine  Law.  Yet  something  of  the  kind  must 
have  been  intended,  since  many  of  them  were  at  a 
great  and  inconvenient  distance  from  Shiloh  and  other 
places  at  which  the  ark  was  stationed. 

396 


XXXV.,  xxxvi.]  THE   CITIES  OF  REFUGE  397 

According  to  this  statute,  there  is,  for  one  thing,  to 
be  no  seclusion  of  the  Levites  from  the  rest  of  the 
people.  If  clergy  and  laity,  as  we  say,  are  distin- 
guished, the  distinction  is  made  as  small  as  possible. 
From  the  terms  of  the  present  order  (xxxv.  2,  ff.) 
it  might  appear  that  the  towns  given  to  the  Levites 
were  to  be  occupied  by  them  exclusively.  In  parallel 
passages,  however,  it  is  clear  that  the  Levites  dwelt 
along  with  others  in  the  cities ;  and  in  this  way,  as 
w^ell  as  by  engaging  in  pastoral  work,  they  were  kept 
closely  in  touch  with  the  men  of  the  tribes.  The 
land  allotted  to  them  was  not  sufficient  for  farms  ;  but 
the  tithes  and  offerings  were  to  a  large  extent  for  their 
support.  And  the  arrangement  thus  sketched  is  held 
with  some  reason  to  be  an  ideal  for  every  order  of  men 
called  to  similar  duty.  The  Levites,  indeed,  were  not 
at  first  spiritual.  Neither  the  nature  of  their  work  at 
the  sanctuary,  nor  the  conditions  of  their  life,  implied 
any  special  consecration  of  heart.  But  the  general 
tone  of  a  religious  ministry  advances  ;  and  even  in 
David's  time  there  were  Levites  who  served  God  in  no 
mere  routine,  but  with  earnest  mind,  with  a  measure  of 
inspiration.  The  ordinance  here  is  in  behalf  of  a 
consecrated  order  devoted  to  the  service  of  God. 

The  suburbs,  or  pasture  lands  about  the  cities,  are 
measured  a  thousand  cubits  broad,  and  are  to  be  two 
thousand  cubits  along  each  of  the  four  boundaries.  If  the 
figures  given  are  correct  it  would  seem  that,  although 
the  wall  of  the  city  is  spoken  of,  the  measurement  must 
really  have  begun  in  the  centre  of  the  city ;  otherwise 
there  could  never  have  been  a  square  of  land,  cities  not 
taking  that  form;  nor  could  a  boundary  of  two  thousand 
cubits  on  each  aspect,  north,  south,  east,  and  west,  be 
made  out.     The  cities  must  often  have  been  small,  a 


398  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

cluster  of  poor  huts  built  of  clay  or  rude  brick,  with  a 
wall  of  similar  material.  We  need  imagine  no  stately 
dwellings  or  fine  pleasure  grounds  when  we  read  here 
of  the  provision  for  the  Levites.  Within  the  wall  they 
had  their  bare,  mean  cottages ;  outside,  there  might 
be  a  breadth  of  perhaps  four  hundred  yards  of  poor 
enough  ground  which  they  could  claim.  But  as  the 
tithes  were  not  always  paid,  so  the  dwellings  and  the 
pasturage  may  not  always  have  been  allotted.  There 
is  not  much  reason  to  wonder  that  in  a  short  time  after 
the  settlement  in  Canaan  the  Levites,  finding  no  special 
work  at  the  sanctuary,  and  obtaining  little  support  from 
the  offerings,  gradually  became  part  of  the  tribes  in 
which  they  happened  to  have  their  abode.  Hence  we 
read  in  Judges  (xvii.  7)  of  "a  young  man  out  of  Beth- 
lehem-judah,  of  the  family  of  Judah,  who  was  a  Levite." 
The  main  purpose  of  the  present  statute,  so  far  as  it 
refers  to  the  dwellings  of  the  Levites,  would  appear  to 
have  been  economic,  not  religious.  It  was  that  all  the 
tribes  might  have  their  share  of  maintaining  the  servants 
of  the  sanctuary.  But  it  seems  likely  that  a  class  half 
priestly  would,  in  lack  of  other  duty,  attach  itself  to  the 
high  places,  and  set  up  a  worship  not  contemplated  by 
the  law.  And  if  this  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  misfortune, 
the  choice  of  the  Levitical  cities  is  in  some  cases 
difficult  to  account  for.  Kede5h  in  Naphtali  had  been 
a  famous  holy  place  of  the  Canaanites ;  so  probably 
were  others,  as  Gibeon,  Shechem,  Gath-rimmon.  The 
special  symbol  of  Jehovah  was  the  ark ;  and  where  the 
ark  was  the  principal  national  rites  were  always  per- 
formed. But  in  a  time  of  pioneer  work  and  constant 
alarms  the  central  sanctuary  could  not  always  be 
visited,  and  the  Levites  appear  to  have  lent  themselves 
to  worship  of  a  local  kind. 


icxxv.,  xxxvi.]  THE  CITIES   OF  REFUGE  399 

An  ecclesiastical  order  needs  great  faithfulness  if  it 
is  not  to  become  irreligious  through  poverty,  or  proud 
and  domineering  through  assumption  of  power  with 
God.  To  live  poorly  as  those  Levites  were  expected 
to  live,  without  the  opportunity  of  earthly  gain,  while 
often  the  share  of  national  support  which  was  due  fell 
to  a  very  low  and  wholly  inadequate  amount,  would 
try  the  fidelity  of  the  best  of  them.  No  large  claim 
need  be  made  in  behalf  of  men  specially  engaged  in  the 
work  of  the  Christian  Church  ;  and  great  wealth  seems 
inappropriate  to  those  who  represent  Christ.  But 
what  is  their  due  should  at  least  be  paid  cheerfully, 
and  the  more  so  if  they  give  earnest  minds  to  the 
service  of  God  and  man.  With  all  faults  that  have 
at  various  periods  of  the  Church's  history  stained  the 
character  of  the  clergy,  they  have  maintained  a  testimony 
on  behalf  of  the  higher  life,  and  the  sacredness  of  duty 
to  God.  A  materialistic  age  will  make  light  of  that 
service,  and  point  to  ecclesiastical  pride  and  covetousness 
as  more  than  counterbalancing  any  good  that  is  done. 
But  a  broad  and  fair  survey  of  the  course  of  events 
will  show  that  the  witness-bearing  of  a  special  class 
to  religious  ideas  has  kept  alive  that  reverence  on 
which  morahty  depends.  True,  the  ideal  of  a  theo- 
cracy would  dispense  with  an  order  set  apart  to 
teach  the  law  of  God  and  to  enforce  His  claims  on 
men.  But  for  the  times  that  now  are,  even  in  the 
most  Christian  country,  the  witness-bearing  of  a 
gospel  ministry  is  absolutely  needful.  And  we  may 
take  the  statute  before  us  as  anticipating  a  general 
necessity,  that  necessity  which  the  apostles  of  our 
Lord  met  when  they  ordained  presbyters  in  every 
Church,  and  gave  them  commission  to  feed  the  flock 
of  God. 


400  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

2.  The  Cities  of  Refuge.  Among  the  forty-eight 
cities  that  provide  dwelHngs  for  the  Levites,  six  are 
to  be  cities  of  refuge,  ''that  the  man-slayer  which 
killeth  any  person  unwittingly  may  flee  thither."  Three 
of  these  cities  are  to  be  on  the  east  and  three  on  the 
west  side  of  Jordan.  According  to  other  enactments  they 
are  to  be  distributed  so  as  to  be  reached  quite  easily 
from  all  parts  of  the  country.  They  were  sanctuaries 
for  any  one  fleeing  from  the  ''  avenger  of  blood  "  ;  but 
the  protection  found  in  them  was  not  by  any  means 
absolute.  Only  if  there  appeared  to  be  good  cause  for 
admitting  a  fugitive  was  he  afforded  refuge  even  for 
a  time,  and  his  trial  followed  as  soon  as  possible. 
The  laws  of  protection  and  judgment  are  here  laid 
down  not  fully,  though  with  some  detail. 

We  notice  first  that  the  statutes  regarding  the  man- 
slayer  are  frankly  based  on  the  primitive  practice  of 
blood  revenge.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  nearest  male 
relation  of  one  who  had  been  slain  to  seek  the  blood 
of  the  man  who  slew  him.  The  duty  was  held  to  be 
one  which  he  owed  to  his  brother,  to  the  community, 
and  to  God ;  and  the  principle  of  retribution  in  such 
cases  was  embodied  in  the  saying,  "  Whoso  sheddeth 
man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed."  The 
goel,  or  redeemer,  whose  part  it  was  to  recover  for  a 
family  land  that  had  been  alienated,  or  a  member  of 
the  family  who  had  fallen  into  slavery,  had  it  also  laid 
on  him  to  seek  justice  on  behalf  of  the  family  when 
one  belonging  to  it  had  been  killed.  The  evils  of  this 
method  of  punishing  crime  are  very  evident.  All  the 
heat  of  personal  affection  for  the  man  put  to  death,  the 
keen  desire  to  maintain  the  honour  of  family  or  clan, 
and  the  bitter  hatred  of  the  tribe  to  which  the 
homicide  belonged,  made  the  pursuit  of  the  criminal 


XXXV.,  xxxvi.]  THE   CITIES   OF  REFUGE  401 


swift  and  the  stroke  fierce  and  unrelenting.  A  goel 
put  on  a  false  track  might  easily  strike  to  the  ground 
an  innocent  person ;  and  he  would  feel  himself  bound 
to  incur  all  risks  in  avenging  his  kinsman.  Often 
whole  tribes  of  Arabs  are  involved  in  the  blood  feud 
beginning  in  a  single  stroke,  and  wherever  the  custom 
prevails  there  is  the  gravest  danger  of  wide  and 
sanguinary  strife.  The  enactments  of  our  passage  are 
intended  to  counteract  in  part  these  abuses  and  dangers. 
We  may  wonder  that  the  Hebrew  law,  enlightened 
on  many  points,  did  not  wholly  abolish  the  practice  of 
blood  revenge.  Justice  is  not  the  private  affair  of  any 
man,  even  the  nearest  kinsman  of  one  who  has  been 
injured.  We  have  learned  that  the  administration  of 
law,  especially  in  cases  of  murder  or  supposed  murder, 
is  best  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  a  private  avenger, 
whose  aim  is  to  strike  as  soon  and  as  effectually  as 
possible.  It  remains  of  course  for  those  whose  friend 
has  died  by  violence  to  institute  inquiries  and  do  their 
utmost  to  bring  the  criminal  to  justice.  But  even  when 
a  man's  guilt  seems  clear  his  trial  is  before  an  impartial 
judge  by  whom  all  relevant  facts  are  elicited.  In 
Hebrew  law  there  was  no  complete  provision  for  such 
an  administration  of  justice.  The  ancient  custom  could 
not  be  easily  set  aside,  for  one  thing ;  the  passionate 
oriental  nature  would  cling  to  it.  And  for  another, 
there  was  no  organisation  for  repressing  disorder  and 
dealing  with  crime.  A  certain  risk  had  to  be  run,  in 
order  that  the  sanctity  of  human  life  might  be  clearly 
kept  before  a  people  too  ready  to  strike  as  well  as  to 
curse.  But  if  the  man-slayer  was  able  to  reach  a  city 
of  refuge  he  had  his  trial.  The  old  custom  was 
checked  by  the  right  of  the  fugitive  to  claim  sanctuary 


and  to  have  his  case  investigated. 


26 


402  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

As  for  the  sanctuary  cities,  there  may  also  have  been 
some  imperfect  custom  which  anticipated  them.  In 
Egypt  there  certainly  was  ;  and  the  Canaanites,  who 
had  learned  not  a  little  from  Egypt,  may  have  had 
sacred  places  that  afforded  protection  to  the  fugitive. 
But  the  Mosaic  law  prevented  abuse  of  the  means  of 
evading  justice.  He  who  had  killed  another  was  a 
criminal  before  God.  The  blood  of  the  brother  he  had 
slain  defiled  the  land  and  cried  to  Heaven.  No  sanc- 
tuary must  protect  a  man  who  had  with  homicidal 
purpose  struck  another.  There  was  to  be  neither 
priestly  protection,  nor  sanctuary,  nor  ransom  for  him. 
The  Divine  principle  of  justice  took  up  the  cause. 

In  vv.  1 6  ff.  there  are  examples  of  cases  which  are 
adjudged  to  be  murder.  To  smite  one  with  an  instru- 
ment of  iron,  or  with  a  stone  grasped  in  the  hand 
presumably  large  enough  to  kill,  or  with  a  weapon  of 
wood,  a  heavy  club  or  bar,  is  adjudged  to  be  deliberate 
homicide.  Then  if  hatred  can  be  proved,  and  one 
known  to  have  cherished  enmity  towards  another  is 
shown  to  have  thrust  him  down,  or  hurled  at  him, 
lying  in  wait,  or  to  have  smitten  him  with  the  hand, 
such  a  one  is  to  be  allowed  no  sanctuary.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  cases  of  inadvertent  homicide  are  de- 
fined :  "  if  he  thrust  him  suddenly  without  enmity,  or 
hurled  upon  him  anything  without  lying  in  wait,  or 
with  any  stone,  whereby  a  man  may  die,  seeing  him 
not."  These,  of  course,  are  simply  instances,  not 
exhaustive  categories. 

It  is  not  here  stated,  but  in  Josh.  xx.  4  the  statute 
runs  that  the  man-slayer  who  fled  to  a  sanctuary  city 
was  to  state  his  cause  before  the  elders,  no  doubt  at 
the  gate.  Their  preliminary  decision  had  to  be  given 
in  his  favour  before  he  could   be  admitted.     But  the 


XXXV.,  xxxvi.]  THE   CITIES   OF  REFUGE  403 

real  trial  was  by  the  ''  congregation,"  Numb.  xxxv.  24, 
some  assembly  representing  the  tribe  within  whose 
territory  the  crime  has  been  committed,  or  more  likely 
a  gathering  of  headmen  of  the  whole  nation.  Further, 
at  ver.  30  it  is  enacted  that  the  charge  of  the  avenger 
of  blood  against  any  one  must  be  substantiated  by  two 
witnesses  at  least.  These  provisions  form  the  basis  of 
a  sound  judicial  method.  The  rights  of  refuge  and 
of  revenge  stand  opposed  to  each  other,  and  between 
the  two  a  large  and  authoritative  court  gives  judgment. 
It  will  be  observed,  moreover,  that  the  judiciary  was 
not  ecclesiastical.  Where  power  was  to  be  exercised 
in  the  name  of  God,  the  priests  were  not  to  wield  it, 
but  the  people.  The  form  of  government  is  far  nearer 
a  democracy  than  a  hierocracy. 

A  singular  point  in  the  law  is  the  term  during  which 
the  unwitting  man-slayer  who  had  been  acquitted  by  the 
court  of  justice  must  remain  in  sanctuary.  He  is  in 
danger  of  being  put  to  death  by  the  avenger  of  blood 
until  the  acting  high  priest  dies.  Till  that  event  he 
must  keep  within  the  border  of  his  city  of  refuge. 
And  here  the  idea  seems  to  be  that  the  official  memory 
of  the  crime  which  had  ceremonially  defiled  the 
land  rested  with  the  high  priest.  He  was  supposed 
to  keep  in  mind,  on  God's  behalf,  the  bloodshed  which 
even  though  unintentional  was  still  polluting.  His 
death  accordingly  obliterated  the  recollection  that  kept 
the  man-slayer  under  peril  of  the  goel's  revenge.  The 
high  priest  had  no  power  to  acquit  or  condemn  a 
criminal,  nor  to  enforce  against  him  the  punishment 
of  his  fault.  But  he  was  the  guardian  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  the  land  in  the  midst  of  which  Jehovah 
dwelt. 

With  regard  to  the  symbolical  meaning  of  the  cities 


404  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 

of  refuge,  it  is  needful  to  exercise  great  care  at  every 
point.  The  man-slayer,  for  instance,  fleeing  from  the 
avenger  of  blood,  is  not  a  type  of  the  sinner  fleeing 
for  his  life  from  the  justice  of  God.  If  guilty  of 
murder,  a  man  could  find  no  safety  even  in  the  city 
of  refuge.  It  was  only  if  he  was  not  guilty  of  pre- 
meditated crime  that  he  found  sanctuary.  The  refuge 
cities,  however,  represented  Divine  justice  as  in  contrast 
to  the  justice  or  rather  the  vengeance  of  man — that 
Divine  justice  which  Christ  came  to  reveal,  giving 
Himself  for  us  upon  the  cross.  Human  righteous- 
ness errs  sometimes  by  excess,  sometimes  by  defect. 
Certain  offences  it  would  never  condemn,  others  it 
would  passionately  and  remorselessly  punish.  The 
sanctuary  cities  show  a  higher  idea  of  justice.  But  all 
men  are  guilty  before  God.  And  there  is  mercy  with 
Him  not  only  for  the  unwitting  transgressor,  but  for 
the  man  who  has  to  confess  deliberate  sin,  the  for- 
feiture of  his  life  to  Divine  law. 

The  singular  opinion  has  been  expressed  that  the 
death  of  the  high  priest  was  expiatory.  This  is  said 
to  be  "  unmistakably  evident "  from  the  addition  of  the 
clause,  *'  who  has  been  anointed  with  the  holy  oil  " 
(ver.  25).  The  argument  is  that  as  the  high  priest's 
life  and  work  "  acquired  a  representative  signification 
through  this  anointing  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  his  death 
might  also  be  regarded  as  a  death  for  the  sins  of  the 
people  by  virtue  of  the  Holy  Ghost  imparted  to  him, 
4:hrough  which  the  unintentional  man-slayer  received 
the  benefits  of  the  propitiation  for  his  sins  before  God, 
so  that  he  could  return  cleansed  to  his  native  town 
without  further  exposure  to  the  vengeance  of  the 
avenger  of  blood."  And  thus,  it  is  said,  "  The  death 
of  the   earthly  high   priest  became  a  type  of  that  of 


xxxv.,xxxvi.]  THE  CITIES  OE  HEFUGE  405 


the  heavenly  One,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit 
offered  Himself  without  spot  to  God,  that  we  might 
be  redeemed  from  our  transgressions."  But  although 
many  of  the  Rabbins  and  fathers  held  this  view  as  to 
the  expiatory  nature  of  the  high  priest's  death,  there 
is  absolutely  nothing  in  Scripture  or  reason  to  support 
it.  All  the  expiation,  moreover,  which  the  Mosaic 
law  provided  for  was  ceremonial.  If  the  death  of  the 
high  priest  was  efficacious  only  so  far  as  his  functions 
were,  then  there  could  be  no  atonement  or  appearance 
of  atonement  for  moral  guilt,  even  that  of  culpable 
homicide  for  instance.  The  death  of  the  high  priest 
was  therefore  in  no  sense  a  type  of  the  death  of  Christ, 
the  whole  meaning  of  which  lies  in  relation  to  moral, 
not  ceremonial,  offences. 

While  it  cannot  be  said  that  *'  light  is  thrown  by  the 
provisions  regarding  cities  of  refuge  on  the  atonement  of 
Christ " — for  that  would  be  the  morning  star  shedding 
hght  on  the  sun — still  there  are  some  points  of  illustra- 
tion ;  and  one  of  these  may  be  noted.  As  the  protection 
of  the  sanctuary  city  extended  only  to  the  boundaries 
or  precincts  belonging  to  it,  so  the  defence  the  sinner 
has  in  Christ  can  be  enjoyed  only  so  far  as  life  is 
brought  within  the  range  of  the  influence  and  commands 
of  Christ.  He  who  would  be  safe  must  be  a  Christian. 
It  is  not  mere  profession  of  faith — "  Lord,  Lord,  have  we 
not  prophesied  in  Thy  name  ?  " — but  hearty  obedience 
to  the  laws  of  duty  coming  from  Christ  that  gives 
safety.  '*  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of 
God's  elect  ?  " — and  the  elect  are  those  who  yield  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit,  who  are  lovers  of  God  and  their 
fellow-men,  who  show  their  faith  by  their  works.  It 
is  a  misrepresentation  of  the  whole  teaching  of  Scripture 
to  declare  that  salvation  can  be  had,  apart  from  life  and 


4o6  THE  BOOK   OF  NUMBERS 

practice,  in  some  mystical  relation  with  Christ  which  is 
hardly  even  to  be  stated  in  words. 

3.  Tribal  Inheritance.  Alread}^  we  have  heard  the 
appeal  of  the  daughters  of  Zelophehad  to  be  allowed 
an  inheritance  as  representing  their  father.  Now  a 
question  which  has  arisen  regarding  them  must  be 
solved.  The  five  women  have  not  cared  to  undertake 
the  work  of  the  upland  farm  allotted  to  them,  some- 
where about  the  head  waters  of  the  Yarmuk.  They 
have,  in  fact,  as  heiresses  been  somewhat  in  request 
among  the  young  men  of  different  tribes ;  and  they  are 
almost  on  the  point  of  giving  their  hands  to  husbands  of 
their  choice.  But  the  chiefs  of  the  family  of  Manasseh 
to  which  they  belong  find  a  danger  here.  The  young 
women  may  perhaps  choose  men  of  Gad,  or  men  of 
Judah.  Then  their  land,  which  is  part  of  the  land  of 
Manasseh,  will  go  over  to  the  tribes  of  the  husbands. 
There  will  be  a  few  acres  of  Judah  or  of  Gad  in  the 
north  of  Manasseh's  land.  And  if  other  young  women 
throughout  the  tribes,  who  happen  to  be  heiresses, 
marry  according  to  their  own  liking,  by-and-by  the 
tribe  territories  will  be  all  confused.  Is  this  to  be 
allowed  ?     If  not,  how  is  the  evil  to  be  prevented  ? 

The  national  centre  and  general  unity  of  Israel  could 
not  in  the  early  period  be  expected  to  suffice.  Without 
tribal  coherence  and  a  sense  of  corporate  life  in  each 
family  the  Israelites  would  be  lost  among  the  people 
of  the  land.  Especially  would  this  tend  to  take  place 
on  the  eastern  side  of  Jordan  and  in  the  far  north. 
Now  the  clan  unity  went  with  the  land.  It  was  as 
those  dwelling  in  a  certain  district  the  descendants  of 
one  progenitor  realised  their  brotherhood.  Hence  there 
was  good  reason  for  the  appeal  of  the  Manassites  and 


XXXV.,  xxxvi.]  THE  CITIES  OF  REFUGE  407 

the  legislation  that  followed.  Women  who  succeeded 
to  land  were  to  marry  within  the  families  of  their 
fathers.  Men  were  apparently  not  forbidden  to  marry 
women  of  another  tribe  if  they  were  not  heiresses.  But 
the  possession  of  land  by  wom^en  carried  with  it  a 
responsibility  and  deprived  them  of  a  certain  part  of 
freedom.  Every  daughter  who  had  an  inheritance  was 
to  be  wife  to  one  of  her  near  kin ;  so  should  no 
inheritance  remove  from  one  family  to  another ;  the 
tribes  should  cleave  every  one  to  his  own  inheritance. 

The  exigencies  of  the  early  settlement  appear  to 
have  required  this  law ;  and  it  was  maintained  as  far 
as  possible,  so  that  he  who  lived  in  a  certain  region 
might  know  himself  not  only  a  Reubenite  or  a  Benjamite 
as  the  case  might  be,  but  a  son  of  Hanoch  of  the 
Reubenites,  or  a  son  of  Ard  among  the  Benjamites. 
But  we  may  doubt  whether  the  unity  of  the  nation 
was  not  delayed  by  the  means  used  to  keep  the  land 
for  each  tribe  and  each  tribe  on  its  own  land.  The 
arrangement  was  perhaps  inevitable  ;  yet  it  certainly 
belonged  to  a  primitive  social  order.  The  homogeneity 
of  the  people  would  have  been  helped  and  the  tribes 
held  more  closely  together  by  interchange  of  land.  In 
every  law  made  at  an  early  stage  of  a  people's 
development  there  is  involved  something  unsuitable  to 
after  periods.  And  perhaps  one  error  made  by  the 
Israelites  was  to  cling  too  long  and  too  closely  to  tribal 
descent  and  make  too  much  of  genealogy.  The  enact- 
ment regarding  the  marriage  of  heiresses  within  their 
own  families  v/as  an  old  one,  bearing  the  authority  of 
Moses.  Inhere  came  a  time  when  it  should  have  been 
revoked  and  everything  done  that  was  possible  to  weld 
the  tribes  together.  But  the  old  customs  held ;  and 
what  was  the  result?     The  tribes  east  of  Jordan,  as 


4o8  THE  BOOK  OF  NUMBERS 


well  as  Dan  and  Asher,  were  well-nigh  lost  to  the 
Confederacy  at  an  early  date.  Subsequently  a  division 
began  between  the  northern  and  southern  peoples.  We 
cannot  doubt  that  partly  for  want  of  family  alliances 
between  Judah  and  Ephraim,  and  subordination  of 
tribal  to  national  sentiment,  there  came  the  separation 
into  two  kingdoms. 

For  the  tribe  idea  and  the  other  of  making  inheritance 
of  land  a  governing  matter,  the  Israelites  would  seem 
to  have  paid  dearly.  And  there  is  danger  still  in  the 
attempt  to  make  a  nation  cohere  on  any  mere  territorial 
basis.  It  is  the  spirit,  the  fidelity  to  a  common  purpose, 
and  the  pervasive  enthusiasm  that  give  real  unity.  If 
these  are  wanting,  or  if  the  general  aim  is  low  and 
material,  the  security  of  families  in  the  soil  may  be 
exceedingly  mischievous.  At  the  same  time  the  old 
feeling  is  proved  to  have  a  deep  root  in  fact.  Territorial 
solidarity  is  indispensable  to  a  nation ;  and  the  ex- 
clusion of  a  people  from  large  portions  of  its  land  is  an 
evil  intolerable.  Christianity  has  not  done  its  work 
where  the  Church,  the  teacher  of  righteousness,  is  un- 
concerned for  this  great  matter.  How  can  religion 
flourish  where  brotherhood  fails?  And  how  can 
brotherhood  survive  in  a  nation  when  the  right  of 
occupying  the  soil  is  practically  denied  ?  First  among 
the  economic  questions  which  claim  Christian  settle- 
ment is  that  of  land  tenure,  land  right.  Christianity 
carries  forward  the  principles  of  the  Mosaic  law  into 
higher  ranges,  where  justice  is  not  less,  but  more — 
where  brotherhood  has  a  nobler  purpose,  a  finer  motive. 


INDEX 


Aaron,  i6  ;  character  of,  29 ;  and  his 
sons,  32;  complains  of  Moses' 
marriage,  137;  rod  of,  198,  207; 
intercession  of,  207  ;  close  of  his 
life,  235. 

Aaronites,  support  of,  215. 

Abstinence,  pledge  of,  60. 

Agag,  307- 

Alliances  with  Christianity,  1 14. 

Amalekites,  312. 

Amorites,  157,  253  ;  defeat  of,  by 

Israel,  255. 
Anak,  sons  of,  i^J. 
Angel  of  the  Lord,  281. 
Arabah,  Wady,  244. 
Arad,  King  of,  178,  243. 
Ark,   the,    44;    borne    before    the 

host,  116. 
Arnold,  Matthew,  304. 
Art,  claimed  for  God,  95. 
Assemblies,  calling  of,  96. 
Atonement,     for    omissions,     184; 

great  day  of,  356. 
Azazel,  355. 

Baal-peor,  festival  of,  314. 

Baals,  the,  295. 

Balaam,  reputation  of,  261 ;  name 
of,  262 ;  his  knowledge  of  Jeho- 
vah, 267  ;  refuses  to  go  to  Moab, 
268 ;  his  error,  273 ;  the  critical, 
283  ;  first  parable  of,  292;  prayer 


of,  296 ;  second  parable  of,  300 ; 
third  parable  of,  305  ;  fourth  par- 
able of,  309;  end  of,  320;  like 
Absalom,  322, 

Balak,  in  anxiety,  261 ;  and  Balaam, 
288;  his  sacrifices,  290;  bewil- 
dered, 305. 

Bashan  reduced,  255. 

Bible,  the  Word  of  God,  163; 
statements  of,  281. 

Blessing,  the,  of  Aaron,  67 ;  of 
Moses,   116. 

Blood  revenge,  400. 

Boehme,  Jacob,  quoted,  69. 

Boundaries  of  land,  390. 

Brazen  serpent,  the,  248;  symbol- 
ism connected  with,  249. 

Browning,  R.,  quoted,  275,  294. 

Caleb,  one  of  the  spies,  151  ; 
honoured,  173. 

Camp,  arrangement  of  the,  27. 

Canaan,  to  be  explored,  152  ;  re- 
ported on,  157. 

Canaanites  admitted  to  fellowship, 
183;  to  be  driven  out,  389. 

Candelabrum,  78 ;  symbolism  of,  79. 

Censers,  the  two  hundred  and  fifty, 
198,  205. 

Census,  the  first,  18 ;  of  all  men, 
20 ;  results  of,  22 ;  the  second, 
323. 


409 


4lo 


INDEX 


Ceremonial  duties,  use  of,  47. 

Edom,  territory  of,  230;  Israel  de- 

Chaldean soothsaying,  263. 

barred  from,  231. 

Chittim,  306,  312. 

Egyptian  worship,  43. 

Christ,  the  Light,  2,1 ;  the  histori- 

Eleazar, and  Ithamar,  31 ;  installed 

cal,    88;   Revealer  of  God,   92; 

as  high  priest,  241. 

the  True  Leader,  109;  sin-bearing 

Eldad  and  Medad,  130. 

of,    126;  sole  headship  of,  210; 

Elders,  seventy,  chosen,   1 28  ;  be- 

the   Healer,    249 ;    did    Balaam 

came  critics  of  Moses,  200. 

prophesy  of?  310. 

Endeavour,  law  of,  324. 

Christian,    law,   rejection   of,   187; 

Enthusiasm  of  faith,  303. 

life,    ignorant   criticism   of,    158, 

Ethiopians,  136. 

limitations  of,  393 ;  nation,  duty 

Ezekiel,  Sabbath  law  of,  348. 

of  a,  160. 

Church,    position    of    the,    20;    a 

Faithless  is  foolish,  161. 

national,  21 ;  and  the  irresolute. 

Family  feast  at  new  moon,  350, 

107;  helpers  of  the,   113;  perils 

Feast,  of  unleavened  bread,    35 1 ; 

of,  115  ;  mistaken  claims  of,  176; 

of  Pentecost,  354;  of  tabernacles, 

unity  of,  203. 

359- 

Civilisation       without       m.orality, 

"Fill  the  hand,"  32. 

372. 

First-born,  number  of,  36 ;  sanctity 

Cloud,  the  pillar  of,  89;  in  Isaiah, 

of,  37- 

90 ;  value  of,  as  a  symbol,  93. 

First-fruits,  day  of,  354. 

Complaints  of  the  Israelites,   119; 

Freedom,     illusory,     no;      under 

against  Providence,  119. 

Christianity,  209. 

Conscience  paltered  with,  278. 

Future   life,    5;    seems   dim,    154; 

Consciousness,  the  Divine,  327. 

right  view  of,  159. 

Convocation,  holy,  352. 

Covetousness,  272. 

Genealogies,  328. 

Gentiles,  266. 

Daily  worship,  345. 

Gershonites,  44. 

Dathan  and  Abiram,  195,  205. 

Gifts  to  be  proportionate,  181, 

Dead,  defilement  by  the,  53,  220. 

Girls  saved  alive,  366. 

Death,   conception    of,    3 ;  desired, 

God,  modern  doubt  of,  163 ;  com- 

128; triumphed  over,  238;  tests 

passion  of,  213;  sole  allegiance 

faith,  337- 

to,   274,   279;   the   Link   of  the 

Dehtzsch,  Prof.  F.,  quoted,  357. 

generations,  326. 

DiscipHne,     the     finest,     238;     of 

Goel,  the,  55,  400. 

humanity,  325. 

Gospel,  light  of  the,  82. 

Disorder,  social,  165. 

Government,  the  Divine,  187. 

Divination,  263. 

Greek  tragedy,  2,  3. 

Divine  guidance,  268. 

Guardians  of  religion,  26. 

Division  of  land,  330. 

Drama  of  Hfe,  330. 

Heave  oftering,  184. 

INDEX 


411 


Heaven  no  fable,  155. 

Hebrew,  the  recoil  of,  from  death,  4. 

Heifer,  the  red,  217. 

Hierarchy,  establishment  of,  208. 

Hierocracy,  6,  363,  403. 

High  priest,  memory  of,  403 ;  death 
of,  404. 

Hobab  the  Kenite,  104;  refuses  to 
join  Israel,  109  ;  second  appeal 
to,  III  ;  his  influence,  201. 

Holiness,  ideas  of,  46. 

Holy  place,  symbolism  of,  79. 

Homeborn,  the,  181. 

Hor,  Mount,  234. 

Hypocrisy,  danger  of,  281. 

Impotence  confessed,  285. 

Iniquity,  of  tabernacle,  212 ;  of 
priesthood,  214. 

Insincerity,  270. 

Inspiration,  13;  of  prophets,  143; 
of  Moses,  144. 

Intrusions  on  life,  232. 

Irresolute,  the,  107. 

Isaiah,  213. 

Israelites,  the,  separateness  of,  7, 
295 ;  religion  of,  9 ;  a  holy  nation, 
25  ;  not  hopeful,  156 ;  disaftection 
of,  at  Kadesh,  i6o ;  Moses  inter- 
cedes for,  169;  punishment  of, 
not  inordinate,  171  ;  defiant 
advance  of,  on  Canaan,  174; 
refused  way  through  Edom,  231  ; 
no  enchantment  with,  302 ;  un- 
able to  convert,  319;  their  ad- 
vantages, 324 ;  purity  of  race, 
328;     religious    enthusiasm    of, 

353- 
Itinerary,  382. 
lye-abarim,  250. 

Jealousy,  water  of,  56. 

Jehovah,  King  and  Judge,  5 ;  au- 


thority of,  7  ;  Guardian,  68 ;  in 
pillar  of  cloud,  91 ;  Protector  of 
Israel,  117;  His  call  to  Israel, 
123  ;  communicates  with  Moses, 
144 ;  His  "  similitude,"  146 ; 
pardons  but  punishes,  170;  for- 
bearance of,  225 ;  worship  of, 
295  ;  revealed  to  Moses,  335  ;  all 
time  dedicated  to,  347. 

Jethro,  104. 

Jonah,  226, 

Joshua,  jealous  for  Moses,  132 ; 
one  of  the  spies,  151 ;  in  prac- 
tical command,  244;  designation 

of,  339. 

Journal  theory,  1 1. 

Judah  in  the  van,  102. 

Judgment  of  murmurers,  120. 

Justice,  impatient,  315  ;  right 
course  of,  316;  and  blood  re- 
venge, 401. 

Kadesh,  the  tribes  at,  103  ;  mus- 
tering at,  222 ;  position  of,  384. 

Kenites,  the,  105,  266,  312. 

Kibroth-hattaavah,  134. 

Kiriath-huzoth,  290. 

Kohathites,  duties  of,  42. 

Korah,  revolt  of,  195;  his  claim, 
196  ;  doom  of,  205. 

Land  law,  407. 

Laymen,  202. 

Leader,  qualifications  of  a,  340. 

Leaven  banished  from  houses,  352. 

Legislation  in  Numbers,  12. 

Lepers,  exclusion  of,  48 ;  their  con- 
dition, 48;  no  pariahs,  51. 

Leprosy,  and  moral  disease,  49 ; 
cases  of,  50  ;  of  Miriam,  147. 

Levi,  tribe  of,  separate,  7  ;  service 
of,  25  ;  in  Deuteronomy,  33. 

Levites,  admitted  priests,  33 ;  given 


412 


INDEX 


to  Aaron,  34 ;  service  of  the,  an 
atonement,  39,  consecration  of, 
40  ;  duties  of,  42  ;  revolt  of,  with 
Korah,  201  ;  support  of,  215  ; 
cities  of,  396. 

Levitical  law,  8. 

Liberality  Christian,  75' 

Life,  close  of,  235. 

Lord's  Supper,  the,  86. 

Manna,  complained  of,  12 1  ;  glori- 
fied, 122. 

March,  order  of,  97  ;  of  humanity, 
98;  in  the  wilderness,  10 1. 

Marriage,  laws,  58 ;  of  expedience, 
280. 

Meal  and  drink  offerings,  180. 

Merarites,  duties  of,  44. 

Message,  the  Divine,  219. 

Midianites,  261 ;  plot  of,  against 
Israel,  313;  to  be  vexed,  318; 
war  with,  365  ;  number  of,  368. 

Militarism  in  Numbers,  17. 

Ministry,  a,  duties  of,  212 ;  provision 
for,  399. 

Miriam,  jealousy  of,  136 ;  punish- 
ment of,  147  ;  death  of,  223. 

Mixed  multitude,  121. 

Moab,  overrun  by  Amorites,  254; 
plains  of,  260. 

Moral  severity,  370. 

Morley,  J.,  quoted,  88. 

Moses,  not  hero  of  Numbers,  2  ;  no 
priest,  6;  reverence  for,  16;  his 
communion  with  God,  76;  acted 
for  Jehovah,  92  ;  appeals  to 
Hobab,  105  ;  strain  on,  as  leader, 
125  ;  prays  for  death,  128  ;  mag- 
nanimity of,  133  ;  position  of,  142; 
and  Isaiah,  146  ;  represented 
God,  162;  great  offer  to,  167; 
authority  of,  203  ;  coalition 
against,    204 ;   and  Korah,  204  ; 


and  Dathan,  205  ;  intercedes  for 
Israel,  206 ;  at  the  rock,  225  ; 
judgment  of,  228  ;  with  Aaron  at 
the  last,  240  ;  close  of  his  life, 
313  ;  faith  of,  336  ;  his  order  as  to 
Midianites,  367  ;  rebukes  Reuben 
and  Gad,  374. 
Mustering,  the,  18. 

Nabi  or  prophet,  143. 

Nadab  and  Abihu,  29. 

Nahshon,  22. 

Napoleon,  285. 

Nature  and  God,  80. 

Nature-cultus,  313. 

Naziritism,  parallels  to,  59  ;  statutes 
regarding,  60  ;  ceremonies  of 
discharge,  64. 

"Nephesh,"  53. 

New  moon,  343,  349 ;  of  seventh 
month,  355. 

Numbers,  the  Book  of,  and  pro- 
phecies, I ;  like  Greek  drama,  2; 
three  main  channels  in,  7 ;  Puri- 
tanism of,  8  ;  sources  of,  10  ;  time 
covered  by,  11  ;  date  of,  12  ;  as 
history,  13  ;  spirit  of,  16. 

Offerings,  laws  of,  179;  meal  and 

drink,  344 ;  daily,  344, 
Ordeal  of  jealousy,  57. 
Organisation,  idea  of  44. 
Overcrowding,  331. 

Parables  of  Balaam,  292,  300,  305. 
Pardon  and  restoration,  171. 
Passover,  the  Little,  84,  86;   the, 

351. 
Peace,  Divine,  70. 
Pentecost,  354. 
Peor,  305. 
Pethor,  261. 
Philanthropy,  373. 


INDEX 


413 


Phinehas,  zeal  of,  315  ;  accompanies 

the  army,  365. 
Pisgah,  299. 
Plato,  5. 

Possessions,  325. 
Price,  has  each  man  his  ?  288. 
Priest,  place  of,  340,  363. 
Priesthood,  the,    29;   consecration 

of,  32  ;  of  Christ,  203  ;  human, 

208;    Aaronic,    duties    of,    212; 

support  of,  215. 
Priests'  Code,  6,  12,  314.  317,  363, 

368. 
Primogeniture,  35. 
Princes,  offerings  of  the,  73. 
Prophesying  of  the  seventy,    130; 

false,  133  ;  oracle  regarding,  142. 
Prophets,    calling   of,    45 ;   of  Q\d 

Testament,  143  ;  vision  of,  306. 
Purification,  water  of,  216. 

Quails,  129. 

Red  Sea,  383. 

Redemption,  of  first-born,  38;  sig- 
nified by  the  Passover,  86. 

Refuge,  cities  of,  400. 

Religion,  power  of,  303. 

Repentance,  287. 

Responsibility  of  a  leader,  126. 

Reuben  and  Gad,  374  ;  their  decay, 
380. 

Reubenites,  the,  claim  of,  200,  202. 

Rich,  dangers  of  the,  377. 

Righteous,  death  of  the,  296. 

Robertson,  F.  W.,  quoted,  320. 

Ruskin,  John,  quoted,  75. 

Sabbath,  the,  breach  of,  1 80 ;  social 
aspect  of,  189 ;  means  of  unity, 
191 ;  in  Chaldea,  346  ;  oblations 
for,  348. 


Sacerdotalism,  209. 
Sacred,  year,  343  ;  places,  391. 
Sacrifice,  significance  of,  360. 
Sanctuary,  the,  carefully  guarded, 

43  ;  iniquity  of,  212. 
Sanctuary,  right  of,  402. 
Sayce,   A.    H.,    quoted,    183,   262, 

346. 
Self-consecration,  call  to,  23. 
Serpents,  fiery,  246. 
Service,  age  of,  23. 
Shechinah,  89. 
Sihon,  the  Amorite,  253. 
Simeon,  tribe  of,  330. 
Sin  offering,  for  Nazirite,  64;  not 

for  moral  guilt,  65;  the,  349;  a 

he-goat,  354. 
Sinai,  383. 

Smith,  W.  Robertson,  quoted,  37. 
Spies,    the,   despatched,    151;    evil 

report  of,  158 ;  doom  of  the  ten, 

173- 
Spirit,  endowment  of  the,  130. 
Spiritual  maladies,  149. 
Spirituality,  296, 
Standards,  27. 
Strange  fire,  31. 
Strangers,  182. 

Symbolism,  of  Sabbath,  191 ;  Chris- 
tian, 193. 
Sympathy  with  Christianity,  1 12, 

Taberah,  120. 
Tabernacles,  feast  of,  359. 
Tassels,  memorial,  192. 
Temple,  the,  75. 
Temptations,  371. 
Theocracy,  not  hierocracy,  6  ;  sus- 
tained, 319. 
Tithes,  215. 

Transgressors,  high-handed,  185. 
Trespass,  atonement  for,  55. 
Tribes,  the,  in  camp,  27. 


414 


INDEX 


Trumpets,  the  silver,  95  ;  signalled 
the  advance,  97  ;  in  war  time,  99  ; 
at  festivals,  100,  355. 

Unbelieving,  doom  of  the,  167. 
Uncleanness,  ideas  of,  46  ;  by  lep- 
rosy, 48";  by  the  dead,  52,  220. 
Unity  of  Christians,  97. 
Unleavened  bread,  feast  of,  351. 
Urim,  341. 


Water  fails,  224. 
'   Way  of  the  soul,  386. 
I   Well,  song  of  the,  252. 
j   Wellhausen,  J.,  >  on   theocracy,   6 ; 
on    Korah,     199;    quoted,    317, 
I        368. 

'   Wilderness,  our  life  in,   124,  258; 
j        near    Maan,    245 ;   discipline   of, 
I        256. 
!   Women,  claim  of,  139,  332. 


Vaheb  in  Suphah,  25 1 , 
Virtue,  safety  of,  279. 
Vocation  of  the  Christian,  123. 
Vows,  344,  361  ;  of  women,  362. 

'Wars  of  Jehovah,  Book  of,'  251. 


Young,  the,  hopefulness  of,  172. 

Zared,  valley  of,  251. 
Zelophehad,  daughters  of,  331,  406. 
Zippor,  262. 
Zophim,  299. 


Date  Due 

N  2 .:  'r 

:•? 

:--^^.--^. 

f) 

BS491 .E96  4 
Thetook  of  Numbers. 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00057  2083 


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m^m. 


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